ii 


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V 


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i^-'U, 


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K.^ 


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COLUMBUS 


AEB  eng  f  iMis 


"  LOMO   IN    VAIN 
HIS   SPIRIT   BBOODSD    O'ZS.   TH3   ATiAilTIC   MAIJI  ! 
WHZIT    SUDDSN.    AS    CP.SATIOIT   BUP^T   FROM  NOnGHT, 
STRANCJ  A  XETT  VrOBLD   THROUGH  HIS  STTJPBKDO'CS  XnOTJGHI.' 

Montgomery. 


yROM  THE  LONDON  RELIGIOUS  TRACT  SOCIETY'S  EDITION. 


ALBANY: 
ERASTUS    H.    PEASE, 

SABBATH  SCHOOL  AND  TRACT  DEPOSITORY; 

No.  82  State  Street. 

1844. 


ALBANY : 
J.  MUNSELI,  PRINTER,  STATE  STRKKT. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER    I. 


Difficulties  of  early  Navigation — Invention  of  the 
Mariner's  Compass — The  Enterprises  of  the 
Portuguese — Christopher  Columbus        -  8 


CHAPTER  II. 


Early  Life  of  Columbus— His  Maritime  Pursuits — 
The  Energy  and  Perseverance  of  his  Charac- 
ter— Speculations  in  reference  to  Land  beyond 
the  Atlantic, 17 


CHAPTER  III. 

Object  of  Portuguese  Enterprise — Travels  of  Mar- 
co Polo— Application  of  Columbus  to  the  Court 
of  Portugal— The  Visit  of  his  Brother  Bartholo- 
mew to  England — Patronage  of  his  Plan  by 
Queen  Isabella, 25 


IV.  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


Treaty  between  Columbus  and  Ferdinand  and  Isa- 
bella— Preparations  for  his  first  Voyage — Cir- 
cumstances of  it — Discovery  of  Land,  -        •        44 


CHAPTER    V. 

Landing  on  the  Great  Bahamas — The  Island  nam- 
ed San  Salvador — Visit  to  Cuba — Pinzon  leaves 
Columbus,     •        - 57 

CHAPTER     VI. 

The  Visit  of  Columbus  to  Hispanioki — Interesting 
Incidents — Friendship  of  the  Chief  Guacana- 
gari — Columbus  leaves  some  of  his  Companions 
on  the  Island  and  returns  to  Spain — A  fearful 
Hurricane — He  lands  in  Portugal,        -        •        65 

CHAPTER    VII. 

Columbus  enters  the  Harbor  of  Palos — His  Jour- 
ney to  Barcelona — Splendid  reception  by  the 
Sovereigns — Views  taken  of  his  Discoveries — 
Mortification  and  Death  of  PinzoHj       .        •        84 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

Preparations  for  a  Second  Voyage — Application 
to  the  Pope — Dissatisfaction  of  Portugal  with 
the  Enterprise  of  Spain — Departure  of  Colum- 
bus and  his  Fleet, 94 


CONTENTS.  Ti 


CHAPTER    IX. 


Second  Voyage  of  Columbus — Discovery  of  vari- 
ous Islands — Return  to  Hispaniola — Its  His- 
tory during  his  Absence — Conspiracy  against 
Columbus — Examination  of  the  Island,      -         102 


CHAPTER    X. 

Voyage  of  Columbus — He  meets  unexpectedly  his 
brother  Bartholomew — Accusations  against  the 
Admiral — He  proceeds  to  Spain — Conduct  of 
Bartholomew  during  his  Absence,      -        •         111 

CHAPTER    XI. 

Appearance  of  Columbus  at  Court — Another 
Voyage — Discovery  of  America — Voyages  of 
the  Cabots — Discoveries  of  the  Portuguese — 
Voyage  of  Ojeda  and  Vespucci,  -        -        -         125 

CHAPTER    XII. 

Columbus  arrives  at  Hispaniola — "Wretched  State 
of  the  Colony — Conspiracy  against  Columbus — 
He  is  arrested  and  carried  in  Fetters  to  Spain,  145 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

The  Reception  of  Columbus  at  Court — Another 
Voyage — Various  Calamities  —  His  return  to 
Spain — His  Sickness.  Death  and  Burial — Re- 


VI.  CONTENTS. 

flections — His  Son  becomes  Viceroy — Cabals 
against  him — Death  of  the  Adelantado — Death 
of  Ferdinand — Former  State  of  the  Natives  of 
Hispaniola — Cruel  Oppression — Death  of  Die- 
go— The  Inquisition,  -        ■         -        .        .         156 


COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 


CHAPTER  I, 

DIFFICULTIES  OF  EARLY  NAVrGATION  —  IKVENTIOS  OF  THE  MAPa- 
NER'S  compass  —  THE  ENTERPRISES  OF  THE  PORTCQUESE  — 
CUR15T0PUER  COLUMBT;S. 

In  early  times,  the  efforts  of  navigators  were 
very  inconsiderable ;  their  voyages  consisted 
chiefly  in  a  timid  creeping  along  the  coast, 
and  rarely  did  they  venture  beyond  sight  of 
land.  The  hght  of  the  sun  by  day,  and  of 
the  stars  by  night,  was  their  only  guide; 
and  its  absence,  as  in  the  voyage  of  the 
apostle  Paul  from  Cesarea  to  Rome,  was 
productive  of  great  perplexity  and  alarm. 
This  infancy  of  the  art  of  navigation  con- 
tinued for  ages;  but  at  length  the  means 


8  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

were  found  by  which  its  maturity  was  se- 
cured.    To  adopt  the  words  of  Montgomery : 

"  LoDg  lay  the  ocean  paths  from  man  concealed  ; 
Light  came  from  heaven — the  magnet  was  revealed^ 
A  surer  star  to  guide  the  seaman's  eye 
Than  the  pale  glory  of  the  northern  sky  ; 
Alike  ordained  to  shine  by  night  and  day, 
Through  calm  and  tempest  with  unsetting  ray ; 
Where'er  the  mountains  rise,  the  billows  roll, 
Still  with  strong  impulse  turning  to  the  pole  ; 
True  as  the  sun  is  to  the  morning  true. 
Though  light  as  film,  and  trembling  as  the  dew." 

The  discovery  of  the  wonderful  property  of 
the  magnet,  by  which  a  needle  is  made  to 
point  to  the  poles  of  the  earth,  was  a  new 
era  in  the  history  of  navigation.  The  ap- 
plication of  this  power  to  its  progress  was 
immediately  perceived,  and  the  mariner's 
compass,  now  so  familiar,  was  at  once  con- 
structed. The  north  and  the  south  could  be 
found  easily  by  this  instrument,  with  suffi- 
cient accuracy,  in  every  place  and  at  all 
seasons,  though  the  day  were  cloudy  and  the 
night  were  dark ;  and  thus  the  domain  of  the 
ocean  was  opened  to  mankind. 

But  though  the  use  of  the  compass,  which 
was  first  employed  by  the  Italians,  might 
enable   them  to   perform   more  safely  and 


ENTERPRISES  OF  THE  PORTUGUESE.  ^ 

speedily  the  short  voyages  to  which  they  were 
accustomed,  nearly  half  a  century  elapsed 
before  they  ventured  into  any  seas  which 
they  had  not  previously  visited.  The  mari- 
time excursions  which  were  taken,  were  those 
of  pirates,  or  of  private  commercial  enter- 
prise ;  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  there  was  little,  if  any,  advance  in 
the  state  of  navigation  prior  to  the  downfal 
of  the  Roman  empire. 

An  all-wise  providence  at  length  put  an 
end  to  this  torpid  condition,  and  gave  to 
Portugal,  one  of  the  smallest  and  least  pow- 
erful of  the  kingdoms  of  Europe,  the  honor 
of  taking  the  lead.  Various  circumstances 
tended  to  this  result.  The  hostilities  carried 
on  for  several  centuries  against  the  Moham- 
medans, had  diffused  among  the  European 
nations,  during  the  middle  ages,  a  martial 
and  adventurous  spirit,  and  for  this  the  Por- 
tuguese were  specially  distinguished.  The 
ardor  they  thus  manifested  was  increased  by 
peculiar  events  in  their  own  history.  As, 
too,  Portugal  was  a  maritime  state,  having 
many  commodious  harbors,  and  the  people 


10  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TDIES. 

having  made  some  progress  in  the  knowledge 
and  practice  of  navigation,  it  was  natural 
that  they  should  seek  to  gain  distinction  on 
the  sea  by  their  enterprises. 

John  I.,  vi-ho  obtained  a  crown  to  which 
he  had  no  right,  in  order  to  employ  the  rest- 
less spirit  of  his  subjects,  which  he  saw  was 
absolutely  necessary,  assembled  a  numerous 
fleet  at  Lisbon,  to  attack  the  Moors  settled 
on  the  coast  of  Barbary.  He  also  sent  a 
few  vessels  to  sail  along  the  western  shore 
of  Africa,  bounded  by  the  Atlantic  ocean, 
and  to  discover  the  unknown  countries  situ- 
ated there.  Nor  was  this  expedition  without 
success.  Its  navigators  doubled  Cape  Non, 
beyond  which  their  predecessors  had  never 
ventured  to  sail,  and  proceeded  onwards  a 
hundred  and  sixty  miles,  to  Cape  Bajador  :  as, 
however,  they  saw  its  rock}^  cliffs,  stretching 
far  into  the  Atlantic,  they  shrunk  from  ven- 
turing round  it,  and  returned  to  Lisbon. 

This  inconsiderable  voyage,  and  the  fortu- 
nate issue  of  the  expedition  against  the 
Moors,  increased  the  passion  for  discovery. 
It  was  further  augmented  by  the  efforts  of 


ENTERPRISES  OF  THE  PORTUGUESE.  11 

one  master  mind.  This  was  prince  Henry 
of  Portugal,  son  of  John  I.  and  PhiUippa  of 
Lancaster,  sister  of  one  of  the  sovereigns  of 
England,  Henry  IV.  He  presents  an  in- 
stance of  the  important  results  arising  from 
long-continued  and  careful  reflection ;  and 
while  he  is  described  as  a  prince  "full  of 
thoughts  of  lofty  enterprise,"  his  benevolence 
it  has  been  said,  justly  entitled  him  to  as- 
sume a  motto  for  his  device,  that  described 
the  quality  by  which  he  wished  to  be  distin- 
guished, "the  talent  of  doing  good,  as  the 
only  one  worthy  the  ambition  of  princes." 
Happily  this  power  is  not  confined  to  distin- 
guished rank.  Every  faithful  follower  of  the 
Redeemer  bears  some  resemblance  to  his 
Lord,  whose  "  meat  it  was  to  do  the  w^ill  of 
his  heavenly  Father."  He  takes  his  station 
among  those  who  are  ^  the  salt  of  the  earth,' 
and  Uhe  lights  of  the  world.'  Richly  blest 
in  his  own  soul,  he  becomes  a  blessing  to 
others.  Nor  shall "  a  cup  of  cold  water  given 
in  the  name  of  a  disciple"  lose  its  reward. 

Henry  fitted  out  a  single  ship,  directing  its 
commander  to   double   Cape   Bajador,   and 
2' 


12  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

thence  to  steer  towards  the  south.  To  do  so, 
according  to  the  mode  of  navigation  which 
at  that  time  prevailed,  would  have  been  very 
difficult,  if  not  absolutely  impossible,  but  a 
squall  of  wind  suddenly  drove  the  mariners 
out  to  sea,  and  w^hen  they  only  expected  to 
perish,  landed  them  on  an  unknown  island. 
This  they  named  Porto  Santo,  and  joyfully 
returning  to  Portugal  with  the  tidings  of  their 
discovery,  were  received  by  Henry  with  ap- 
plause and  honor. 

In  the  course  of  the  following  year,  he 
sent  the  same  commanders,  accompanied  by 
Bartholomew  Perestrello,  to  take  possession 
of  the  island,  and  in  doing  so,  they  were  led, 
it  is  affirmed,  to  the  discovery  of  Madeira. 
A  bolder  navigation  now  followed,  and  in 
the  space  of  a  few  years,  the  Portuguese  ad- 
vanced within  the  tropics,  discovered  the 
river  Seneg^al,  and  all  the  coast  extendincr 
from  Cape  Blanco  to  Cape  de  Verd. 

Some  remarkable  circumstances  attended 
on  this  enterprise.  That  the  direct  rays  of 
the  sun  operated  powerfully,  was  an  opinion 
derived   from  antiquity,  and  this  was  con- 


ENTERPRISES  OF  THE  PORTUGUESE.  13 

firmed  by  their  own  observation.  As  far  as 
the  river  Senegal,  they  had  found  on  the 
coast  of  Africa,  a  people  nearly  resembling  the 
Moors  of  Barbary,  but  on  advancing  to  the 
south  of  that  river,  they  observed  the  dark 
hue,  the  short  curled  hair,  and  the  thick  lips, 
now  commonly  known  as  marking  the  negro 
race.  This  difference  they  ascribed  to  the 
influence  of  heat,  and  they  began  to  dread 
that  if  they  advanced  still  further,  its  effects 
would  appear  more  violent ;  nor  were  there 
wanting  those  who  w^ere  disposed  to  exag- 
gerate such  dangers,  and  to  gather  from 
them  various  objections  to  further  discovery. 
Henry  was  not,  however,  to  be  moved  by 
the  dictates  of  ignorance,  envy,  or  a  cold  and 
timid  prudence,  even  assuming,  as  they  did, 
the  air  of  patriotism.  Instead  of  slackening 
his  efforts,  he  pursued  them  with  fresh  ardor, 
but  at  the  same  time  employed  means  to  re- 
press opposition,  which  strikingly  show  the 
spirit  of  the  age.  The  thick  darkness  of 
popery  w^as  then  spread  over  Europe — the 
darkness  of  ignorance,  error,  and  supersti- 
tion.    The  pope  of  Rome  was  in  consequence 


14  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES.    .- 

considered  the  source  of  all  civil,  as  well  as 
ecclesiastical  power.  At  his  word  some 
were  exalted,  and  others  humbled  to  the  dust. 
That  this  statement  may  be  duly  verified,  let 
the  reader  observe  the  bull  of  Pope  Sixtus  V. 
against  Henry,  king  of  Navarre,  and  the 
prince  of  Conde,  remembering  that  words  to 
the  same  effect  might  be  quoted  of  earlier 
and  of  later  date  :  —  "  The  authority  commit- 
ted to  St.  Peter  and  his  successors,  by  the 
transcendant  power  of  the  King  Eternal,  ex- 
ceeds all  the  powers  of  earthly  kings  and 
potentates.  It  passes  uncontrollable  senten- 
ces upon  them  all ;  and  if  it  find  any  of  them 
resisting  the  ordinances  of  God,  it  takes 
more  summary  vengeance  upon  them  and 
hurling  them  from  their  throne,  debases  them, 
as  the  ministers  of  aspiring  Lucifer,  whatever 
may  be  their  power,  to  the  lowest  abysses  of 
the  earth."  What  a  fearful  manifestation  is 
here  of  the  power  of  "  the  man  of  sin !" 

Yielding  to  the  authority  assumed  by  the 
pope,  Henry  represented  to  him,  in  pompous 
terms,  his  own  piety  and  zeal,  in  discovering, 
during  a  long  course  of  years,  countries  for- 


ENTERPRISES  OF  THE  PORTUGUESE.  15 

merly  unknown,  the  inhabitants  of  which  he 
described  as  wandering  in  heathen  darkness, 
or  led  astray  by  the  dekisions  of  Mohammed, 
and  consequently  ignorant  of  the  religion 
which  he  considered  as  true.  He  therefore 
besought  the  pope  to  confer  on  the  crown  of 
Portugal,  a  right  to  all  such  countries  as 
were  thus  discovered,  and  to  forbid  all  the 
powers  over  whom  he  ruled,  under  the  high- 
est penalties,  to  molest  his  people  in  so  doing, 
or  even  to  settle  in  any  of  the  countries  that 
might  thus  be  made  known.  He  promised, 
moreover,  that  in  all  their  expeditions,  their 
chief  object  should  be  to  establish  the  au- 
thority, and  increase  the  subjects  of  the  pope. 
Eugene  IV.,  to  whom  this  appeal  was  made, 
eagerly  complied  with  its  request,  applauded 
the  efforts  w^hich  the  Portuguese  had  made, 
exhorted  them  to  continue  their  enterprises, 
and  granted  them  an  exclusive  right  to  all 
the  countries  they  should  discover  from  Cape 
Non  to  the  continent  of  India. 

The  absurd  and  monstrous  grant  thus 
made,  added,  of  course,  to  the  prevailing  en- 
thusiasm, but  it  was  checked  by  the  death  of 


16  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

Prince  Henry,  whose  knowledge  and  patron- 
age had  so  greatly  contributed  to  the  results 
already  secured.  These,  however,  were  not 
so  great  as  might  be  supposed.  During  his 
life,  the  Portuguese,  in  their  utmost  progress 
towards  the  south,  did  not  advance  within 
five  degrees  of  the  equinoctial  line ;  and  after 
their  continued  exertions  for  half  a  century, 
hardly  fifteen  hundred  miles  of  the  African 
coast  were  discovered.  Still  the  path  was 
opened  to  far  greater  success. 

The  fame  of  the  discoveries  made  by  the 
Portuguese  was  spread  over  Europe.  Many 
foreigners  were  in  consequence  allured  into 
their  service,  and  among  them  was  Christo- 
pher Columbus,  the  man 

"  by  Heaven  designed 

To  lift  the  veil  that  covered  half  mankind." 

According  to  the  genius  of  the  Castilian  lan- 
guage, it  is  said  he  called  himself  Crestoval 
Colon.  The  family  name  Colombo,  was 
Latinized  into  Columbus,  and  in  this  form  it 
has  been  adopted  in  the  English  language. 


/  CHAPTER  11. 

EARLY  LIFE  07  COLUMBUS— HIS  MARITIME  PURSUITS — THE  ENERGY 
AND  PERSEVERANCE  OF  HIS  CHARACTER — SPECULATIONS  IN  RE- 
FERENCE  TO    LAND   BEYOND   THE  ATLANTIC. 

The  early  circumstances  of  ChristopHer 
Columbus  are  involved  in  much  obscurity. 
Several  claims  have  been  advanced  in  behalf 
of  different  places  for  the  honor  of  having 
given  him  birth,  but  it  appears  most  probable 
that  this  distinction  belongs  to  the  ancient 
city  of  Genoa,  once  named  the  superb,  but 
now  presenting  only  a  shadow  of  her  former 
greatness.  Columbus  was  born  about  1435, 
or  1436.  Considerable  doubt  has  also  pre- 
vailed in  reference  to  his  lineage.  "I  am 
not,"  he  writes  in  one  of  his  letters,  "  the 
first  admiral  of  my  family ;  let  them  call  me 
what  they  may.     After  all,  that  most  prudent 


18  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

king,  David,  was  first  a  shepherd,  and  was 
afterwards  chosen  king  of  Jerusalem ;  and  I 
am  a  servant  to  the  same  Lord  who  raised 
him  to  so  great  a  dignity."  His  family  are 
supposed  by  some  to  have  ranked  among  the 
most  distinguished  nobility  of  Placenza,  but 
to  have  lost  their  estates  during  the  wars  of 
Lombardy,  and  to  have  endeavored  to  repair 
their  fortunes  by  maritime  adventures.  It 
does  not  appear,  however,  that  either  he  or 
any  of  his  contemporaries  knew  that  there 
had  been  any  nobihty  in  his  family  ;  and  his 
son  Fernando,  who  wrote  his  history,  rising 
superior  to  such  imaginations,  says,  "I  am 
of  opinion  that  I  should  derive  less  dignity 
from  any  nobility  of  ancestry,  than  from  be- 
ing the  son  of  such  a  father."  Columbus 
appears,  indeed,  to  have  descended  from  pa- 
rents in  respectable,  but  humble  life,  his 
father  being  a  wool-comber ;  an  occupation 
in  which  the  wool,  as  it  is  taken  from  the 
back  of  the  sheep,  is  prepared  for  spinning. 

It  is  too  often  supposed  that  great  success 
in  life  is  to  be  traced  to  fortunate  circum- 
stances, as  they  are  miscalled,  rather  than  to 


MARITIME  PURSUITS  OF  COLUMBUS.  19 

the  personal  qualities  and  efforts  of  those  who 
€njoy  it.  This  error,  which  consideration 
and  inquiry  would  refute,  is  amply  exposed 
in  the  life  of  Columbus.  It  shows  us  a  mind 
energetically  and  constantly  employed,  and 
thus  obtaining  advantages  which  would  not 
otherwise  have  been  secured,  or  have  been 
allowed  to  pass  by  imimproved. 

In  early  life,  he  was  sent  to  Pavia,  the 
chief  seat  of  learning  in  Italy,  where  his 
faculties,  which  had  already  yielded  much 
promise,  w^ere  still  further  employed  and  im- 
proved. The  science  which  treats  of  the 
construction,  arrangement,  and  figure  of  the 
earth,  called  cosmography,  from  two  Greek 
words,  meaning  "  to  write  about  the  world," 
engaged  his  chief  attention.  He  gave  him- 
himself  therefore  particularly  to  geometry 
and  astronomy  ;  and  learned  to  draw,  that  he 
might  not  only  be  able  to  trace  the  outhnes 
of  countries,  but  fill  them  up  with  their  ap- 
propriate features.  The  means  of  improve- 
ment which  he  thus  possessed  were,  however, 
but  scanty,  and  of  short  continuance.  He 
left  the  university  of  Pavia  while  yet  very 


20  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

young;  and  according  to  his  own  account, 
he  began  to  navigate  the  sea  at  fourteen 
years  of  age. 

About  the  year  1473,  he  was  captain  of  a 
ship-of-war,  in  the  service  of  the  king  of 
Naples,  and  afterwards  made  several  voyages 
in  the  Mediterranean  to  the  east  and  west  of 
Genoa.  Subsequently  to  this,  he  went  to 
Lisbon,  at  a  time  when  Portugal  was  famous 
for  her  discoveries,  and  a  great  number  of 
Italians,  especially  Genoese,  resorted  thither. 
The  knowledge  and  maritime  ardor  of  these 
people  tended,  as  has  already  appeared,  to 
the  advancement  of  geographical  science. 

Columbus  entered  fully  into  the  spirit  of 
the  progress  thus  secured.  He  made  a  voy- 
age to  the  north,  in  which  he  says  he  "  navi- 
gated one  hundred  leagues  beyond  Thule,  the 
southern  part  of  which  is  seventy-three  de- 
grees distant  from  the  equator,  and  not  sixty- 
three,  as  some  pretend  ;  neither  is  it  situated 
within  the  line  which  includes  the  West  of 
Ptolemy,  but  is  much  more  westerly."  The 
island  he  thus  visited  is  generally  supposed 
to  be  Iceland.     He  also  undertook  voyages 


HIS  MARITIME  PURSUITS,  21 

to  England,  to  Guinea,  and  to  the  Islands  in 
the  Western  Ocean,  belonging  to  Spain  and 
Portugal.  Unlike  those  who  appear  to  pass 
from  place  to  place  with  their  eyes  closed,  or 
if  open,  to  spend  a  dreamy  existence  without 
observation  and  without  effort,  he  kept  his 
powers  actively  and  constantly  engaged. 
Not  only  was  he  intent  on  observing  what- 
ever came  within  his  view,  but  he  compared 
what  he  noticed  with  what  had  already  been 
recorded.  He  also  constructed  globes  and 
drew  maps,  with  the  greatest  care,  impro\-ing 
his  mind  and  increasing  his  knowledge  by  all 
the  means  in  his  power.  If,  therefore,  he 
became,  as  he  did,  the  most  experienced  na- 
vigator of  his  time,  he  only  reaped  that  which 
he  sowed,  and  plucked  fruit  from  the  trees  he 
had  diligently  cultured. 

On  his  marriage,  while  at  Lisbon,  with  a 
lady  of  good  family.  Donna  Philippa,  the 
newly  wedded  pair  w^ent  to  live  with  the 
mother  of  the  bride.  Seeing  Columbus  much 
given  to  cosmography,  she  stated  that  her 
late  husband,  Bartholomew  Perestrello,  had 
been  employed  with  others  in  maritime  dis- 


22  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

covery  in  the  service  of  the  king  of  Portugal. 
She  gave  him  also  the  journals  and  sea-charts 
left  by  her  husband,  and  from  them  he  ascer- 
tained the  course  taken  by  the  Portuguese  in 
the  discoveries  they  had  made,  and  also  the 
circumstances  which  they  found  adverse  or 
favorable. 

His  attention  to  these  new  treasures  gave 
fresh  ardor  to  his  mind;  and  as  he  studied 
the  maps  and  read  the  descriptions  of  the  new 
countries  which  Perestrello  had  seen,  he  ear- 
nestly desired  to  visit  them.  He  therefore 
made  a  voyage  to  Madeira,  according  to  some 
writers,  and  traded  for  several  years  with 
that  island,  with  the  Canaries,  the  Azores, 
the  settlements  in  Guinea,  and  various  other 
places  discovered  by  the  Portuguese  on  the 
continent  of  Africa. 

The  experience  acquired  by  Columbus  in 
visiting  almost  every  part  of  the  globe  with 
which  there  was  any  intercourse  by  sea,  was 
of  great  value.  With  him,  however,  increas- 
ed ability  was  valued  as  the  means  of  attain- 
ing higher  objects.  Intent  on  the  schemes 
which  had  already  issued  in  discovery,  and 


ENERGY  OF  HIS  CHARACTER.  23 

on  the  modes  in  which  it  had  been  effected, 
he  gradually  formed  the  idea  of  improving 
the  plans  which  had  been  laid  down,  and  of 
making  discoveries  which  had  hitherto  been 
attempted  in  vain. 

The  existence  of  land  beyond  the  Atlantic 
which  w^as  not  discredited  by  some  of  the 
most  enlightened  ancients,  had  become  matter 
of  common  speculation  at  the  close  of  the 
fifteenth  century.  A  singular  proof  of  this 
popular  belief  has  been  given  in  a  passage  of 
the  Florentine  poet  Pulce,  a  man  of  letters, 
but  not  distinguished  for  scientific  attainments 
beyond  his  day.  It  is  remarkable  not  only 
for  the  knowledge  it  implies  of  cosmography, 
but  for  its  allusion  to  facts  in  physical  science 
not  established  till  more  than  a  century  later. 
One  speaker  alluding  to  the  vulgar  supersti- 
tion respecting  the  Pillars  of  Hercules,  thus 
addresses  his  companion : 

"  Know  that  this  theory  is  false ;  his  bark 
The  daring  marinerjshall  urge  far  o'er 
The  western  wave,  a  smooth  and  level  plain, 
Albeit  the  earth  is  fashioned  like  a  wheel. 
Man  was  in  ancient  days  of  grosser  mould, 
And  Hercules  might  blush  to  learn  how  far 
Beyond  the  limits  ho  had  vainly  sot, 
3* 


24  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

The  dullest  sea-boat  8oon  shall  wing  her  way. 

Men  shall  descry  another  hemisphere, 

Since  to  one  common  centre  all  things  tend  ; 

So  earth,  by  curious  mystery  divine, 

Well  balanced,  hangs  amid  the  starry  spheres. 

At  our  antipodes  are  cities,  states. 

And  thronged  empires,  ne'er  divined  of  yore. 

But  see,  the  sun  speeds  on  his  western  path 

To  glad  the  nations  with  expected  light !" 


CHAPTER  III. 

OBJECT  OF  PORTUGUESE  ENTERPRISE  —  TRAVELS  OF  MARCO  POLO  — 
APPLICATION  OF  COLUMBUS  TO  THE  COURT  OF  PORTUGAL  —  THE 
VISIT  OF  HIS  BROTHER  BARTHOLOMEW  TO  ENGLAND PATRON- 
AGE OF  HIS  PLAN  BY  QUEEN  ISABELLA. 

There  was  one  point  aimed  at  in  all  the 
siavigations  of  the  Portuguese  from  an  early 
period  —  it  was  to  find  out  a  passage  by  sea 
to  the  East  Indies.  The  fertility  and  riches 
of  India  had  been  known  for  many  ages. 
The  steady  progress  of  general  society  in  the 
w^est  cr^ed  an  increased  demand  for  the 
varied  products  of  the  east.  To  supply  it  by 
the  precarious  importations  of  disabled  war- 
riors, or  wandering  pilgrims  from  the  Holy 
Land,  was  no  longer  possible.  A  regular 
European  channel  of  communication  with  the 
east  became  necessary,  and  such  a  one  had 


26  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

been  opened  in  the  central  peninsula  of  Italy. 
Various  cities  struggled  to  secure,  each  one 
for  itself,  the  golden  advantages  of  the  eastern 
trade.  At  length,  Venice,  once  poor,  mean, 
and  obscure,  appeared  in  state,  "  throned  on 
her  hundred  isles,  a  ruler  of  the  waters  and 
their  powers."  And  how,  it  has  been  asked, 
came  she  to  be  thus  rob'd  in  purple,  and  so 
luxuriously  magnificent,  that  of 

"  her  feast 

Monarcbs  partook,  and  deemed  their  dignity  increased  ?"" 

And  to  this  it  has  been  replied,  because  the 
exhaustless  East  had 

♦'  Poured  into  her  lap  all  gems  in  sparkling  showers." 

As  yet,  however,  the  great  routes  to  be  tra- 
versed by  the  produce  of  India,  lay  along 
the  Red  Sea,  the  Caspian,  or  the  Euphrates. 
The  chief  intermediate  marts,  were  Alexan- 
dria, St.  Jean  d'Acre,  or  Constantinople,  and 
over  these  Venice  obtained  unlimited  com- 
mand. "What  was  then  to  be  done  ?  No 
alternative  appeared  but  to  attempt  to  open 
some  new  communication  with  a  part  of  the 
earth  which,  in  the  overruling  providence  or 


OBJECT  OF  PORTUGUESE  ENTERPRISE.        27 

God  was  made  to  advance  the  civilization  of 
western  Europe,  while  from  this  portion  of 
the  globe  the  gospel  has  been  sent  to  India, 
announcing  the  riches  which  are  pure,  satis- 
fying and  eternal. 

"  Heaven  speed  the  canvass,  gallantly  unfurled 

To  furnish  and  accommodate  the  world  ; 

To  give  the  pole  the  produce  of  the  sun, 

And  knit  the  unsocial  climates  into  one. 

Soft  airs  and  gentle  heavings  of  the  wave 

Impel  the  flset,  whose  errand  is  to  save, 

To  succor  wasted  regions,  and  replace 

The  smile  of  Opulence  in  Sorrow's  face. 

Let  nothing  adverse,  nothing  unforseen. 

Impede  the  bark  that  ploughs  the  deep  serene. 

Charged  with  a  freight  transcending  in  its  worth 

The  gems  of  India,  nature's  rarest  birth  ; 

That  flies,  like  Gabriel  on  his  Lord's  commands, 

A  herald  of  God's  love  to  pagan  lands." 

If,  however,  the  vast  wealth  of  Venice, 
arising  from  a  monopoly  of  the  eastern  trade, 
was  beheld  with  envy  by  all  nations,  it  was 
not  easy  to  find  out  a  way  by  which  com- 
mercial advantages  might  be  obtained  by  the 
people  of  other  cities.  Intent  as  the  Portu- 
guese were  on  discovering  a  new  route,  they 
searched  for  it  only  by  steering  towards  the 
south,  in  hope  of  reaching  India  after  they 
had  sailed  round  the   farther   extremity  of 


28  COLUMBUS  AND  fflS  TIMES. 

Africa,  by  turning  to  the  east.  Such  a  course 
was,  however,  unknown ;  if  even  it  were  dis- 
covered, the  enterprise  was  one  of  great  dif- 
ficulty, and  the  result  was  very  uncertain. 
Columbus  was  therefore  naturally  led  to  con- 
sider whether  a  shorter  and  more  direct  pas- 
sage to  India  might  not  be  found  out. 

Here,  then,  was  full  scope  for  all  the  en- 
ergies of  his  mind,  all  the  knowledge  he  had 
acquired,  and  all  the  experience  he  had  gain- 
ed; and  to  this  one  point  they  were  all  de- 
voted. Some  faint  ideas  that  the  shape  of 
the  earth  was  globular,  had  obtained  among 
men  of  science,  from  observing  eclipses  of  the 
moon.  This  fact,  it  may  be  observed,  oc- 
curs, on  an  average,  about  twice  every  year, 
a  dark  shadow  moving;  across  the  face  of  that 
orb,  obscuring  her  Hght,  and  giving  her  the 
appearance  of  tarnished  copper.  Sometimes 
this  shadow  covers  only  a  small  portion  of 
her  surface ;  at  others,  the  whole  of  it,  for 
an  hour  or  two,  and  its  margin  always  forms 
a  segment  of  a  circle.  This  effect  is  pro- 
duced by  the  shadow  of  the  earth  falling  on 
the  moon,  when  the  sun,  the  earth  and  the 


OBJECT  OF  PORTUGUESE  ENTERPRISE.        29 

moon,  are  nearly  in  a  straight  line,  and  can 
only  happen  at  the  time  of  the  full  moon. 

The  rotundity  of  the  earth  being  thus  sug- 
gested by  the  form  of  the  shadow  cast  on  the 
surface  of  the  moon,  some  advance  had  been 
made  on  the  ignorance  of  former  times ;  in 
addition  to  which,  the  comparative  magni- 
tude of  the  globe  had  been  pretty  clearly  es- 
tabhshed.  It  Avas  therefore  plain  that  a  bar- 
ren waste  of  waters  must  occupy  the  greater 
portion  of  the  earth  westward,  or  in  explor- 
ing it,  some  continents  counterbalancing  those 
already  known  would  be  found.  A  sense  of 
the  wisdom  and  benevolence  of  the  great 
Creator,  deepened,  in  some  instances,  the  im- 
pression of  such  views,  and  led  to  the  ex- 
pectation that  there  were  dwelhngs  for  man 
scattered  over  regions  hitherto  unknown  to 
the  rest  of  the  human  race. 

Other  circumstances  occurred  to  sustain 
this  hope.  All  the  eastern  travellers  had 
asserted,  that  there  were  such  countries 
stretching  indetinitely  beyond  those  which 
they  could  reach.  Among  these  was  Marco 
Polo,  a  Venitian.     When   this  enterprising 


30  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TMES. 

man  and  his  two  brothers  returned  to  their 
native  city,  so  altered  were  they  by  time, 
cHmate,  and  association  with  foreigners,  that 
they  were  strangers  even  to  their  kindred. 
As  they  were  long  supposed  to  have  been 
dead,  some  members  of  their  family  had  taken 
possession  of  their  dwelling-house,  and  it  was 
with  great  difficulty  they  could  show  that 
they  were  its  lawful  proprietors.  A  singular 
expedient  was  adopted  to  make  known  their 
return,  and  the  results  of  their  journeys.  An 
invitation  was  sent  to  all  their  friends  and 
connexions  to  a  splendid  entertainment,  and 
on  the  company  being  assembled,  the  three 
travellers  entered,  richly  clad  in  robes  of 
crimson  satin,  which  at  the  commencement 
of  the  feast  were  changed  for  similar  ones  of 
crimson  damask,  while  the  former  were  di- 
vided among  the  attendants.  At  the  removal 
of  the  first  course,  they  distributed  the  damask 
robes  in  like  manner,  and  put  on  dresses  of 
crimson  velvet;  and  when  the  feast  was 
ended,  they  changed  their  splendid  garments 
for  plain  robes,  hke  those  worn  by  their 
guests.     The   company  wondered   at  what 


TRAVELS  OF  MARCO  POLO.  31 

was  intended;  but  when  the  cloth  was  re- 
moved, and  the  servants  withdrawn,  Marco 
Polo  brought  forth  the  three  coarse  garments 
in  which  they  had  returned  from  their  travels, 
and  the  seams  and  linings  being  ripped  up,  a 
quantity  of  diamonds,  rubies,  sapphires,  and 
other  precious  stones,  appeared  to  view.  The 
company  were  exceedingly  struck  by  what 
they  deemed  a  countless  treasure,  and  soon 
loaded  their  hosts  with  congratulations  on 
their  wealth  and  nobility. 

A  powerful  impression  must  have  been 
produced  on  the  minds  of  his  contemporaries 
by  Marco  Polo's  account  of  the  kingdoms  of 
Cathay  and  Cepango.  He  spoke  of  the  im- 
mense wealth,  population,  and  industry  of 
China  ;  the  Tartar  mas^nificence  of  Kublai 
Khan ;  the  countless  hordes  submissive  to  his 
authority ;  the  numerous  islands  of  the  Indian 
seas,  rich  in  natural  productions,  though 
hitherto  but  little  known,  and  three  other 
islands  of  the  east  beyond  China.  A  new 
world  was,  in  fact,  exposed  to  view,  by  one 
intimately  acquainted  with  most  of  the  coun- 
4 


32  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

tries  he  described,  and  enjoying  the  pecuhar 
advantasres  of  official  rank. 

Called  on  continually  to  narrate  the  his- 
tory of  his  travels,  Marco  Polo  at  length 
committed  them  to  writing.  He  treats  most 
fully  of  China,  and  the  court  of  Kublai  Khan. 
One  of  the  palaces  of  the  latter  he  describes 
as  of  mars'ellous  ait  and  beauty,  ornamented 
•with  marble  and  a  variety  of  rare  stones. 
On  one  side  of  this  edifice,  and  only  to  be 
entered  through  the  palace,  was  an  enclosed 
park,  sixteen  miles  in  circuit,  in  which  were 
meadows,  groves,  and  rivers,  the  land  being 
well  stocked  with  red  and  fallow  deer,  and 
various  other  animals.  In  the  middle  of  the 
W'Oods  of  this  park  was  a  superb  kiosk,  or 
summer-house,  supported  by  pillars,  richly 
gilt.  The  roof  w^as  formed  of  bamboo  cane, 
sixty  feet  long,  also  gilt.  The  building  was 
supported  on  every  side  like  a  tent,  by  more 
than  two  hundred  strong  silken  cords,  and 
the  whole  was  so  constructed  that  it  might 
be  readily  taken  down  and  set  up  again. 
The  Grand  Khan  is  described  as  ha\ing  a 
stud  of  horses  and  mares,  all  pure  white. 


TRAVELS  OF  MARCO  POLO.  33 

nearly  ten  thousand  in  number ;  of  the  milk 
of  which  none  were  permitted  to  drink,  but 
the  descendants  of  Zingis  Khan,  except  one 
family,  who  were  thus  favored  on  account  of 
their  martial  achievements. 

Kublai  Khan  is  said  to  have  always  resided 
on  the  north-eastern  border  of  Cathay,  the 
Pekin  of  the  present  day.  A  new  city  w^as 
afterwards  built  on  the  southern  side  of  the 
river;  and  on  the  southern  side  of  the  new 
city  was  the  grand  palace  of  the  sovereign. 
A  British  writer.  Sir  George  Stanton,  speaks 
with  equal  admiration  of  the  style  and  archi- 
tecture of  the  imperial  palace.  He  says :  "  A 
hall  was  made  opposite  the  treble  gates, 
which  are  nearly  in  the  centre  of  this  north- 
ern side  of  the  palace  wall ;  it  appeared  to 
enclose  a  large  quantity  of  ground.  It  was 
not  level,  like  all  the  lands  without  the  wall, 
some  of  it  was  raised  into  hills  of  steep  as- 
cent ;  the  earth  taken  to  form  them  left  deep 
hollows,  now  filled  with  water.  Out  of  these 
artificial  lakes,  of  which  the  margins  were 
diversified  and  irregular,  small  islands  rise, 
with  a  variety  of  fanciful  edifices  interspersed 


34  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

with  trees.  On  the  hills,  of  different  heights, 
the  principal  palaces  of  the  emperor  were 
erected.  On  the  summit  of  the  loftiest  emi- 
nences were  tall  trees  surrounding  summer 
houses,  and  cabinets  contrived  for  retreat  and 
pleasure.  The  whole  had  somewhat  the  ap- 
pearance of  enchantment." 

Accounts  so  exciting  as  those  of  Marco 
Polo,  greatly  contributed  to  the  speculations 
of  this  period.  In  proportion  as  the  regions 
thus  described  stretched  eastward,  it  was 
reasonable  to  conclude  that  they  would  be 
approaching  to  the  western  shores  of  the 
known  world.  Pieces  of  carved  timber  had 
been  picked  up  by  the  Portuguese  naviga- 
tors, and,  among  the  rest,  by  the  brother-in- 
law  of  Columbus  —  pieces  driving  before  a 
westerly  wind.  Canes,  trees,  and  other  ve- 
getable productions,  unknown  to  Europe  and 
Africa,  had  often  floated  to  the  Azores  from 
the  same  quarter  ;  and  at  one  time  the  dead 
bodies  of  two  men,  with  singular  features, 
resembling  neither  Europeans  nor  Africans, 
were  cast  ashore  there. 

Weighing    carefully   the    information   he 


TKOPOSALS  TO  THE  SENATE  OF  GENOA.       35 

collected,  Columbus  arrived  at  the  conclusion 
that  the  shortest  and  most  direct  course  to 
the  remote  regions  of  the  east,  would  be  to 
sail  due  west.  Some  eminent  writers  among 
the  ancients  sanctioned  the  views  he  enter- 
tained, but  not  satisfied  with  his  own  argu- 
ments or  theirs,  he  was  desirous  to  test  their 
accuracy  by  consulting  w^ith  those  who  were 
able  to  afford  him  assistance.  Among  these 
he  apphed  to  Paul  Toscanelli,  a  distinguished 
and  learned  physician  of  Florence,  who 
warmly  approved  his  projects,  and  encour- 
aged Columbus  to  persevere  in  the  enter- 
prise. 

Perfectly  satisfied  with  the  accuracy  of 
his  conclusions,  he  was  now  impatient  to  set 
out  on  a  voyage  of  discovery.  But  patronage 
w^as  needed,  and  to  secure  it  was  the  first 
step  to  be  taken.  The  affection  he  bore  to- 
wards his  native  country,  from  which  he  had 
long  been  separated,  led  him  to  wish  that  it 
might  reap  the  fruhs  of  his  laborious  efforts, 
and  of  all  the  perils  to  which  he  might  be 
exposed.  He  therefore  laid  his  plan  before 
the  senate  of  Genoa,  offering  to  sail  in  quest 


36  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TDIES. 

of  the  new  regions  he  hoped  to  discover, 
under  the  banner  of  that  repubhc.  But  his 
long  absence  had  left  them  in  ignorance  of 
his  extraordinary  abilities;  and  though  a 
maritime  people,  yet  but  little  accustomed  to 
distant  voyages,  they  were  unable  to  appre- 
ciate his  designs.  They  therefore  considered 
him  a  vain  projector,  thoughtlessly  rejected 
his  patriotic  proposal,  and  lost  an  opportunity 
which  was  not  again  presented.  Nor  is  this 
a  solitary  case.  It  has  often  happened  in  the 
histories  of  individuals ;  allowing  favorable 
circumstances  to  pass  unimproved,  they  have 
returned  no  more.  There  is,  however,  a  still 
greater  infatuation :  it  is  that  of  neglecting 
religious  advantages;  the  consequences  of 
which  are  described  in  the  lamentation  of 
multitudes :  "  The  harvest  is  past,  the  sum- 
mer is  ended,  and  we  are  not  saved !" 

As  one  long  established  in  the  dominions 
of  John  n.  king  of  Portugal,  Columbus  made 
the  next  overture  to  him,  with  every  prospect 
of  success.  That  monarch  succeeded  his 
father  Alphonso,  under  whom  the  spirit  of 
discovery  had  languished ;  but  he  promoted 


TREACHERY  OF  THE  PORTUGUESE  COURT.  37 

it  with  all  the  ardor  of  his  grand-uncle 
Prince  Henry,  and  with  superior  power.  In 
Portugal,  the  personal  qualities,  as  well  as 
the  professional  skill  of  Columbus,  were  well 
known,  and  his  fellow-subjects  were  prepared 
to  favor  his  appeal.  His  hopes  must  have 
risen  high  as  he  contemplated  his  circum- 
stances. 

Most  gracious  too,  was  his  reception  by  the 
king,  who  referred  his  plan  to  two  eminent 
cosmographers,  and  his  own  confessor,  whom 
he  was  accustomed  to  consult  in  all  such 
matters.  But  unhappily,  these  persons  had 
been  the  chief  directors  of  the  Portuguese 
navigations,  and  had  advised  to  search  for  a 
passage  to  India  by  steering  in  a  directly  op- 
posite course  to  that  marked  out  by  Colum- 
bus. To  condemn  themselves,  and  admit  his 
superiority,  was  too  much  ior  them  to  accom- 
plish ;  and  after  annoying  him  with  much 
captiousness,  they  deferred  a  final  decision 
on  his  scheme.  Meanwhile  they  advised  the 
king  secretly  to  dispatch  a  vessel  in  the  di- 
rection he  proposed  to  take,  thus  perfidiously 
to  rob  him  of  his  proper  reward.     To  his 


38  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

great  discredit,  the  monarch  yielded  to  this 
base  design ;  but  the  commander  of  the  ves- 
sel was  not  a  Columbus ;  and,  dispirited  by 
contrary  winds,  and  a  sea  in  which  he  could 
descry  no  land,  he  returned,  denouncing  the 
attempt  as  extravagant  and  perilous  —  an 
issue  deserved  by  its  base  projectors. 

Naturally  indignant  on  the  discovery  of 
this  flagrant  treachery,  Columbus  determined 
to  leave  a  nation  who  could  be  chargeable 
with  it,  and  instantly  quitting  the  kingdom, 
proceeded  to  Lisbon,  taking  with  him  his  son 
Diego.  The  circumstances  of  Spain  were  by 
no  means  encouraging  to  his  project.  Its 
people  had  beheld  the  progress  of  discovery 
among  the  Portuguese,  but  without  any  dis- 
position to  imitate  their  career.  They  were  al- 
so engaged  in  a  dangerous  war  with  Granada, 
the  central  seat  of  Moorish  power  and  mag- 
nificence, in  which  they  found  an  ample  field 
for  their  energies. 

For  Columbus  to  make  rapid  progress  in 
carrying  into  effect  a  new  design,  was  abso- 
lutely impossible,  and  to  make  any  was  also 
uncertain ;  he  therefore  despatched  his  brother 


JUAN  PEREZ.  39 

Bartholomew  to  negotiate  with  Henry  VII. 
of  England,  who  was  considered  one  of  the 
wisest  and  richest  princes  in  Europe,  while 
he  resolved  to  propose  his  plan  in  person  to 
Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  who  governed  at  that 
time  the  united  kingdoms  of  Castile  and 
Arragon. 

At  this  period  his  circumstances  were  ex- 
ceedingly depressed.  On  his  first  arrival  in 
Spain  he  had  but  little  reason  to  expect  they 
would  be  otherwise.  In  Adalusia  there  is  a 
little  sea-port,  called  Palos,  and  about  a  half 
league  from  the  town  there  stands  now,  as 
there  stood  then,  an  ancient  convent  of  Fran- 
ciscan friars.  One  day,  it  is  said,  a  stranger 
on  foot,  accompanied  by  a  boy,  stopped  at 
the  gate,  and  asked  for  his  child  a  little  bread 
and  water.  The  favor  was  granted,  and  the 
prior,  or  chief  of  the  convent,  Juan  Perez, 
became  interested  in  the  stranger,  and  heard 
his  story.  That  wayfaring  man  was  Colum- 
bus— that  child,  Diego. 

To  this  interview  much  was  owing.  Juan 
Perez  was  able  to  appreciate  the  designs  of 
his  guest,  and  in  various  ways  encouraged 


40  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

him  in  his  enterprise.  Through  no  other 
channel  was  aid  either  imparted  or  promised. 
No  accounts  arrived  from  his  brother  Bartho- 
lomew to  soothe  his  disappointments,  and 
thus  his  sufferings  were  increased.  Unhap- 
pily, his  brother  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
pirates,  who  stripped  him  of  all  that  he  had, 
and  kept  him  as  a  prisoner  for  several  years. 
Escaping  at  length,  he  arrived  in  London, 
but  so  great  was  his  poverty,  that  he  was 
obliged  to  employ  himself  for  a  considera- 
ble time  in  drawing  and  selling  maps,  — 
that  he  might  purchase  a  dress  in  which  to 
appear  at  court.  He  then  laid  the  proposals 
entrusted  to  him  before  the  sovereign,  who 
received  them  with  considerable  approbation. 
Thus  ignorant  of  what  was  occurring,  and 
too  poor  to  undertake  any  enterprise,  Colum- 
bus might  be  expected  highly  to  value  a  let- 
ter which  Juan  Perez  granted  him  to  Fer- 
dinand de  Talavera,  the  confessor  to  the 
queen.  But  the  time  of  his  arrival  with  it  at 
Cordova,  was  very  unfavorable.  The  court 
was  hke  a  military  camp,  and  warlike  mea- 
sures of  unusual  vigor  were  considered  ne- 


QUEEN  ISABELLA.  41 

cessary.  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  were  alike 
engaged  in  conducting  them,  and  Talavera 
was  not  only  absorbed  in  military  affairs,  but 
unfriendly  to  the  cause  of  Columbus. 

In  the  absence  of  the  sovereign,  Columbus 
continued  at  Cordova,  supporting  himself,  it 
is  said,  by  designing  maps  and  charts.  For 
about  six  years  from  the  time  of  his  arrival 
in  Spain,  he  kept  his  great  object  in  view ; 
and  amidst  the  ridicule  with  which  he  was 
often  assailed,  gradually  gained  friends  by 
the  evident  sincerity  of  his  conversation,  and 
the  dignity  of  his  manners.  One  of  these 
at  length,  on  the  fall  of  Granada  taking 
place,  urged  his  plans  most  earnestly  on  the 
attention  and  regard  of  the  queen,  and  far 
from  being  displeased,  Isabella  was  moved  by 
his  honest  eloquence.  Refusing  to  listen  any 
longer  to  cold  and  timid  counsellors,  she  gave 
way  to  the  natural  impulses  of  her  own  mind. 
"  I  will  assume  the  undertaking,"  she  said, 
"  for  my  own  crown  of  Castile,  and  am  ready 
to  pawn  my  jewels  to  defray  the  expenses  of 
it,  if  the  funds  in  the  treasury  shall  be  found 
inadequate." 


42  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

The  motives  which  led  Isabella  to  this  de- 
claration were  manifestly  various.  She  pos- 
sessed many  noble  qualities,  and  at  the  same 
time  could  not  be  indifferent  to  the  increase 
of  wealth  and  the  extension  of  empire.  One 
feeling,  however,  had  certainly  great  influ- 
ence, if  not  absolute  predominance — a  desire 
to  diffuse  the  religion  she  professed.  Most 
zealous  was  she  in  the  service  of  the  church 
of  Rome,  presenting  an  example  well  worthy 
of  imitation  on  behalf  of  the  pure  faith  which, 
derived  from  the  word  of  God,  and  accom- 
panied by  the  power  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  shall 
ultimately  triumph  over  the  errors  by  which 
she  was  unhappily  ensnared,  in  common  with 
multitudes  at  that  period,  and  in  every  subse- 
quent age.  Well  may  every  devout  mind 
give  utterance  to  the  prayer : 

Father  of  eternal  grace, 
Thou  hast  lov'd  man's  rebel  racc^ 
Let  thy  will,  through  Christ  thy  son, 
As  in  heaven,  on  earth,  be  done. 

Here  in  vain  thy  law  is  known, 
Heard  in  thunder,  graved  on  stone  ; 
By  thy  grace  thy  will  impart, 
Write  thy  law  on  every  heart. 


QUEEN  ISABELLA.  43 

Let  thy  reconciling  word 
By  all  tribes  of  men  be  heard  j 
Give  the  new  creation  birth, 
Let  thy  will  be  done  on  earth. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

TmiATT  BETWEEN  COLUMBUS  AND  FERDINAND  AND  ISABELLA  — 
PREPARATIONS  FOR  HIS  FIRST  VOYAGE  —  CIRCUMSTANCES  OF  IT  — 
DISCOVERY  OF  LAND. 

Columbus  had  good  reason  to  rely  on  the 
probity  of  queen  Isabella ;  but  though  she  was 
now  favorably  disposed  towards  his  cause, 
Ferdinand  was  differently  affected.  He  was 
indeed  still  opposed  to  the  plans  which  were 
thus  sanctioned.  Seventeen  thousand  florins 
were  advanced  from  his  treasury  towards 
their  accomplishment,  but  for  this  sum  he  took 
care  to  be  indenmified.  The  feeling  he  thus 
displayed  continued,  as  we  shall  see  hereafter 
long  to  operate. 

Little  further  delay  now  occurred,  and  Co- 
lumbus succeeded  in  effecting  a  treaty  with 
the  sovereigns,  which  was  signed  on  the  17th 
of  April,  1492,  on  the  five  following  condi- 


TREATY  WITH  ISABELLA  AND  FERDIN.\ND.    45 

tions,  in  virtue  of  which  he  afterwards  sailed 
on  his  first  voyage.  1.  Spain,  as  mistress  of 
the  ocean,  granted  to  Columbus  the  dignity 
of  her  high-admiral  in  all  the  seas  he  might 
discover,  with  the  same  power  and  preroga- 
tives which  belonged  to  the  high-admiral  of 
Castile,  within  his  jurisdiction ;  reserving  the 
office  also  to  his  heirs  for  ever.  2.  Colum- 
bus and  his  family  were  in  like  manner  to 
enjoy  the  title  of  viceroy  of  Spain  in  all  isl- 
ands and  continents  he  should  now  first  ex- 
plore :  and  should  separate  governors  be  re- 
quired for  particular  districts,  he  was  to  choose 
three  candidates,  out  of  which  the  Spanish 
court  was  to  select  one  to  the  office.  3.  The 
tenth  of  all  customs  and  profits  whatsoever, 
accruing  from  the  new  discoveries  was  to  be 
secured  to  the  high-admiral.  4.  He  was  to 
be  the  highest  legal  appeal  in  all  suits  re- 
specting any  commercial  transactions  in  the 
countries  discovered.  5.  The  admiral  was 
to  advance  one-eighth  part  of  the  first  ex- 
penses of  the  voyage,  and  of  opening  the 
commerce  with  the  new  countries,  which  he 
w^as  to  be  repaid  out  of  the  first  profits  that 
might  accrue  from  them. 


46  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

The  advantages  thus  presented  to  the  view 
of  Columbus,  were  all  to  be  traced  to  the  intel- 
ligence and  energy  of  Isabella,  without  whose 
strenuous  support  they  would  never  have  been 
obtained.  One  token  of  her  special  favor 
deserves  to  be  added.  The  queen  issued  a 
letter-patent,  appointing  his  son  Diego  page 
to  Prince  Juan,  the  heir-apparent — an  honor 
bestowed  only  on  the  sons  of  persons  of  dis- 
tinguished rank,  and  also  granting  an  allow- 
ance for  his  support. 

The  feelings  of  Columbus  at  this  period 
admit  of  no  adequate  description.  Eighteen 
years  chiefly  passed  in  poverty  and  neglect, 
amidst  alarms,  and  hopeless  appeals,  and  bit- 
ter ridicule,  had  now  elapsed  since  he  had 
conceived  the  plan  which  was  about  to  be 
tried.  How  many  would  have  relinquished 
such  a  design  for  ever,  after  enduring  but  a 
small  part  of  the  trials  he  calmly  suffered ! 
His  success  was  the  reward  of  energetic  and 
persevering  toil ;  and  while  his  example  con- 
demns the  multitude,  who  even  in  a  good 
cause  are  timid  and  slothful,  it  encourages 
all  to  go  forward,  and  to  consider  nothing 


PEEPARA.TION  FOR  DEPARTURE.      47 

done,  while  any  thing  remains  to  be  accom- 
plished. 

One  element  of  the  character  of  Columbus 
will  appear  as  entitled  to  special  remark. 
He  was  a  zealous  member  of  the  church  of 
Rome,  which  setting  aside  as  it  does  the  me- 
diation of  the  Son  of  God  as  the  only  founda- 
tion of  the  sinner's  hope,  and  placing  in  its 
stead  the  quicksand  of  human  merit,  urges 
its  adherents  to  various  acts,  as  means  of 
purchasing  the  divine  favor.  Here  a  great 
and  ruinous  error  is  discoverable :  many  things 
may  be  done  apparently,  but  not  truly,  good, 
because  the  mind  is  still  unenlightened,  and 
the  heart  unrenewed  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 
He  who  really  believes  in  Christ  will  be  care- 
ful to  maintain  good  works. 

A  disregard  of  this  distinction,  arising  in 
that  church  from  the  substitution  of  the  vain 
traditions  of  men  for  the  pure  word  of  God, 
has  to  a  fearful  extent  engendered  gross  su- 
perstition. Impelle  I  by  this  principle,  some 
have  been  led  to  torture  their  bodies,  others 
to  give  largely  of  their  substance,  and  others 
to  engage  in  arduous  services,  but  all   with 


48  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

the  expectation  that  the  favor  of  Heaven 
would  be  by  such  means  ensured.  Of  the 
latter  class  was  Columbus,  as  is  clearly  ap- 
parent in  the  whole  tenor  of  his  life. 

The  time  for  which  he  had  anxiously  look- 
ed and  patiently  labored  and  suffered  had 
now  arrived.  The  stranger  who  had  appear- 
ed with  his  son,  asking  in  necessity  the 
humblest  fare,  proceeded  to  Palos  with  a 
bounding  heart.  There  the  ships  of  which 
Columbus  was  appointed  by  Isabella  to  take 
command,  were  fitted  out.  Juan  Perez  re- 
sided in  its  neighborhood,  and  by  the  influ- 
ence of  this  ecclesiastic,  as  well  by  his  own 
efforts,  he  raised  among  its  inhabitants  the 
money  he  was  bound  by  treaty  to  advance, 
and  engaged  some  of  them  as  companions  in 
his  voyage.  The  chief  of  these,  were  three 
brothers,  named  Pinzon,  of  great  experience 
in  navigation,  and  of  considerable  wealth, 
who  were  willing  to  venture  their  lives  and 
fortunes  in  his  perilous  expedition.  No  little 
difficulty,  however,  preceded  this  result.  Pa- 
los had  been  filled  with  horror  when  its  in- 
habitants were  aware  of  the  nature  of  the  in- 


SETTING  SAIL  FROM  PALOS.  49 

tended  expedition,  and  formidable  obstacles 
had  attended  it  at  every  step. 

And  what,  it  may  be  asked,  was  the  arma- 
ment that  was  now  prepared  ?  It  consisted 
of  only  three  vessels,  the  largest  of  no  con- 
siderable burden,  the  other  two  mere  caravels 
or  light  vessels  without  decks,  scarcely  supe- 
rior to  large  boats.  They  were  victualled 
for  twelve  months,  and  had  on  board  ninety 
men,  chiefly  sailors,  together  with  a  few  ad- 
venturers, and  some  gentlemen  of  the  court, 
appointed  by  Isabella  to  follow  ColumbiLS. 
A  mind  less  energetic  and  sanguine  than  his 
might  well  have  shrunk  from  engaging  in  a 
formidable  enterprise  with  such  a  fleet ;  to 
explore  seas  altogether  unknown,  with  no 
knowledge  of  their  tides  and  currents,  no 
chart  for  his  guide,  and  no  acquaintance  with 
the  perils  of  his  course,  or  the  means  by 
which  they  might  be  averted. 

Connected,  as  has  already  been  seen,  with 
the  Roman  Catholic  church,  in  a  country  and 
at  a  time  in  which  popery  was  dominant,  and 
avowedly  engaged  in  an  effort  for  its  diffusion, 
he  would  not  embark  without  engaging  in 


50  COLUMBUS  AND  fflS  TIMES. 

services  which  he  considered  incumbent  and 
appropriate.  Accompanied  by  all  the  per- 
sons under  his  command,  he  marched  in  pro- 
cession to  the  monastery  of  Rabida:  there 
they  made  confession  of  their  sins  to  the 
priest,  were  told  by  him  that  they  were  ab- 
solved, received  the  consecrated  wafer,  and 
offered  their  prayers  for  the  success  of  their 
enterprise.  Taking  the  views  we  do  of  such 
'services,  we  cannot  but  regret  that  Columbus 
and  his  companions  were  not  guided  by  a 
pure  light ;  at  the  same  time  there  is  cause 
to  deplore  that  others  who  might  enjoy  it,  and 
who  enter  on  the  weightiest  engagements 
with  no  solemnity  or  devotion  of  feeling,  are 
condemned  by  the  conduct  which  has  now 
been  described. 

Columbus  hoisted  his  flag  on  board  of  the 
largest  ship,  the  Santa  Maria ;  the  second, 
called  the  Pinta,  was  commanded  by  Martin 
Alonzo  Pinzon,  accompanied  by  his  brother, 
Francisco  Martin,  as  pilot ;  the  third,  called 
the  Nina,  was  commanded  by  the  third  of 
the  brothers,  Vincent  Janez  Pinzon.  A  little 
before  sunrise  the  squadron  set  sail,  but  it 


SETTING  SAIL  FROM  PALOS.  51 

was  in  melancholy  circumstances.  Gloom 
pervaded  the  little  town  of  Palos,  for  most 
of  its  inhabitants  had  some  relative  or  friend 
on  board;  and  in  the  vessels  also,  many  were 
concerned  for  the  sorrows  and  fears  of  those 
who  were  left  behind,  and  felt  apprehensions 
of  voyaging  they  knew  not  whither. 

The  day  after,  the  rudder  of  one  of  the 
smaller  vessels  broke  loose ;  and  to  a  super- 
stitious crew,  this  was  a  sure  omen  of  failure 
and  calamity.  They  arrived,  however,  at 
the  Canary  Islands,  for  which  their  command- 
er had  steered  directly,  without  injury,  but 
with  sufficient  proof  that  their  vessels  were 
ill-fitted  for  a  long  and  perilous  navigation. 
Here,  however,  they  were  refitted,  so  far  as 
was  practicable,  and  proceeded  on  their  way. 

On  losing  sight  of  these  islands,  many  of 
the  sailors  became  exceedingly  dejected  and 
dismayed,  shedding  tears  and  beating  on  their 
breasts,  as  if  they  were  to  perish  in  their  wan- 
derings. Columbus  promptly  endeavored  to 
soothe  them  by  prospects  of  great  wealth  a- 
waiting  their  enjoyment  in  the  regions  to 
which  they  were  proceeding.    As  other  diffi- 


62  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

culties  arose,  he  met  them  with  other  expe- 
dients. Conckiding  that  the  length  of  the 
voyage  might  excite  their  alarm,  he  told  them 
that  they  had  advanced  only  fifteen  leagues 
-when  they  had  actually  run  twenty ;  and  he 
employed  the  same  device  of  short  reckoning 
during  the  whole  voyage.  In  like  manner, 
when  they  felt  apprehensive  on  observing 
that  the  magnetic  needle  varied  towards  the 
west,  he  declared  that  it  did  not  point  to  the 
polar  star,  but  to  an  object  that  was  invisible. 
For  such  devices  he  has  received  commenda- 
tions, as  showing  his  ability  to  control  others. 
But  let  it  be  remembered,  thnt  though  it  is  a 
tenet  of  the  Romish  faith  that  the  end  sanc- 
tifies the  means,  it  is  one  which  is  absolutely 
indefensible. 

Only  let  it  be  assumed,  that  deception  may 
be  lawfully  employed  in  a  single  case,  and 
the  way  is  opened  for  its  adoption  whenever 
any  end  that  appears  to  be  desirable  is  like- 
ly to  be  accomplished  by  such  means.  The 
highest  authority  declares,  that  "  he  that  of- 
fendeth  in  one  point  is  guilty  of  all."  The 
only  security  against  universal  falsehood  is, 
therefore,  the  invoilable  maintenance  of  truth. 


DISCONTENT  OF  THE  CREW.  53 

Imminent  dangers  were  now  at  hand.  The 
crew,  disaffected  as  they  had  become,  were 
ready  for  mutiny.  Columbus  had  observed 
the  rising  tumult,  and  labored  to  repress  it. 
He  succeeded  in  doir.g  so,  because  they  were 
accustomed  to  treat  him  with  reverence ; 
but  could  they  have  discovered  his  habitual 
practice  of  deceit,  it  would  probably  have 
brought  upon  him  a  signal  cha.stisement. 

The  restoration  of  order  was  of  short  du- 
ration ;  for,  after  seeing  no  object  for  thirty 
days  but  the  sea  and  sky,  fear  became  predo- 
minant, and  impatience,  rage,  and  despair,- 
were  visible  on  every  countenance.  Even 
the  officers,  who  had  hitherto  agreed  with  Co- 
lumbus, and  supported  his  authority,  now  took 
part  with  the  crew,  and  all  required  him  in- 
stantly to  return  to  Europe.  Art,  so  long 
practised,  was  out  of  the  question ;  it  only 
remained  for  him  to  entreat  that  they  woul^j 
obey  him  for  a  short  time  longer.  He  did  so,, 
with  many  hopes  of  the  continuance  and  suc- 
cess of  his  enterprise.  He  had  observed  at- 
tentively the  passage  of  flocks  of  birds.  The 
sounding  line,  for  some  days,  had  reached  the 


54  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

bottom,  and  brought  up  soil,  showing  that 
land  could  not  be  far  off.  The  crew  of  one 
of  the  small  vessels  saw  a  cane  floating, 
which  seemed  to  have  been  newly  cut,  and 
also  a  piece  of  timber  artificially  carved ; 
and  the  sailors  of  the  other  took  up  the  branch 
of  a  tree,  bearing  red  berries,  and  perfectly 
fresh.  The  clouds  around  the  setting  sun 
wore  a  new  appearance ;  the  air  w^as  more 
mild  and  warm,  and  during  the  night,  the 
wind  became  unequal  and  variable.  Colum- 
bus was  now  so  confident  of  being  near  land, 
that  on  the  evening  of  the  1 1th  of  October, 
after  public  prayers  for  success,  he  ordered 
the  sails  to  be  furled,  the  ships  to  lie  to,  and 
strict  watch  to  be  kept,  lest  in  the  night  they 
should  be  driven  on  the  shore.  The  inter- 
val was  one  of  suspense  and  expectation ; 
but  the  anxiety  of  no  one  could  surpass  that  of 
Columbus. 

"  Still  self  possessed, 
High  on  the  deck  he  stood,  disdaining  rest ; 
(His  amber  chain,  the  only  badge  he  bore ; 
His  mantle  blue,  such  as  his  fathers  wore ;) 
Fathomed;  with  searching  hand,  the  dark  profound; 
And  scattered  hope  and  glad  assurance  round." 


\f^ 


DISCOVERY  OF  LAND.  55 

About  two  hours  before  midnight,  Colum- 
bus observed  a  light  at  a  distance,  and  pri- 
vately pointed  it  out  to  Pedro  Guttierez,  a 
page  of  the  queen's  wardrobe,  who,  calHng 
to  Salcedo,  comptroller  of  the  fleet,  all  three 
saw  it  moving,  as  if  carried  from  place  to 
place.  Soon  after  midnight  the  joyful  sound 
of  "Land!  land!"  was  heard  from  the 
Pinta,  which  always  went  before  the  other 
ships;  but  frequent  disappointments  had  pro- 
duced a  slowness  of  belief,  and  every  one 
waited  with  intense  anxiety  the  return  of 
day.  Welcome,  beyond  description,  was 
the  dawn  of  morning,  which  dispelled  all 
their  doubts  and  fears.  About  two  leagues 
to  the  north,  an  island  was  seen  by  all,  whose 
flat  and  verdant  fields,  w^ell-wooded,  and 
watered  with  many  rivulets,  appeared  as  a 
delightful  and  productive  country.  The  Te 
Deum  was  now  sung,  as  a  hymn  of  thanks- 
giving, amidst  tears  of  joy  and  the  most 
hearty  congratulations.  Columbus  was  at 
the  same  time  especially  remembered.  Those 
whom  he  commanded  besought  his  pardon 
for  all  past  offences,  and  passing  from  one 


56  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

extreme  to  another,  declared  the  man  whom 
they  had  so  lately  reviled  and  threatened,  in- 
spired by  Heaven  to  accomplish  a  design  al- 
together unparalleled.  At  sun-rise,  all  the 
boats  were  manned  and  armed,  and  rowed 
towards  the  island,  with  their  colors  flying, 
with  warlike  music,  and  with  all  the  pomp 
they  could  command.  On  approaching  the 
coast,  they  saw  it  covered  with  a  multitude 
of  people,  drawn  together  by  so  extraordinary 
a  sight,  and  expressing  by  their  attitudes  and 
gestures  the  greatest  astonishment.  The  first 
person  who  landed  was  Columbus,  attired  in 
a  rich  dress,  and  bearing  in  his  hand  a  naked 
sword.  He  was  followed  by  his  men,  who, 
kneeling  down,  kissed  the  ground  they  had  so 
long  desired  to  see,  and  then,  after  the  manner 
of  the  Romish  church,  the  fruitful  source  of 
idolatry,  erected  a  crucifix,  and  prostrating 
themselves  before  it,  offered  their  thanksgiv- 
ings to  God  for  thus  prospering  their  voyage. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Landing  on  the   great   Bahama  —  the   ist.and   named   san 
salvador — visit  to  cuba  —  pinzon  leaves  columbus. 

In  proportion  to  the  former  dismay  of  the 
voyagers,  was  the  exultation  which  Columbus 
and  his  followers  now  experienced.  With  all 
the  formalities  adopted  by  the  Portuguese  in 
their  discoveries,  they  immediately  took  so- 
lemn posession  of  the  country  for  the  crown 
of  Castile  and  Leon,  a  ceremony  which  the 
natives  looking  on  were,  of  course  unable  to 
comprehend.  All  they  witnessed,  indeed, 
w^as  calculated  to  fill  them  with  wonder. 
The  fair  complexions  of  the  Spaniards,  their 
dress,  their  arms,  were  all  surprising,  while 
the  vessels  that  seemed  to  move  on  the  ocean 
with  w4ngs,  and  uttered  sounds  like  thunder, 
accompanied  with  flashes  like  lightning,  struck 
them  with  awe ;  so  that  they  concluded  their 


58  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES, 

guests  were  superior  beings — the  children  of 
the  sun — who  had  descended  to  visit  the 
earth. 

Scarcely  inferior  to  the  emotions  of  the  na- 
tives were  those  of  the  Spaniards.  The  soil 
they  traversed  appeared  rich,  but  with  few 
marks  of  culture.  The  herbs,  shrubs,  and 
trees  it  bore,  were  all  unlike  those  with  which 
they  had  been  familiar.  They  felt  the  cli- 
mate to  be  warm,  though  very  delightful. 
The  natives  were  well  shaped  and  active, 
though  not  tall ;  their  complexion  was  of  a 
dusky  copper  color ;  with  features  singular 
rather  than  disagreeable.  Their  aspect  gentle 
and  timid,  they  were  without  clothing,  their 
long  and  uncombed  black  hair  floated  on 
their  shoulders,  or  was  bound  in  tresses 
around  their  heads,  and  their  faces  and  seve- 
ral parts  of  their  bodies  were  fantastically 
painted  with  glaring  colors. 

At  first  the  natives  were  shy,  but  their 
fears  were  dispelled,  and  they  soon  became 
familiar  with  the  Spaniards,  who  gave  them, 
to  their  great  joy,  hawks'-bells,  glass  beads, 
or  other  baubles,  and  received  in  return  such 


THE  GREAT  BAHAMA.  59 

provisions  as  they  had,  and  some  cotton 
yarn,  the  only  valuable  commodity  they 
could  produce.  Towards  evening,  Columbus 
returned  to  his  ship  ;  accompanied  by  many 
of  the  islanders  in  their  boats,  called  canoes, 
which,  though  rudely  formed  out  of  the  trunk 
of  a  single  tree,  they  rowed  with  great  dex- 
terity. The  parties,  thus  singularly  brought 
together,  were  alike  satisfied  ;  the  Spaniards 
entertaining  splendid  expectations  of  the 
results  they  were  to  reap,  the  natives  utterly 
ignorant  of  the  calamities  which  would  here- 
after be  brought  on  their  country. 

The  island  now  discovered  by  the  Spaniards 
was  one  of  the  Bahamas,  which  form  a  very 
extended  and  numerous  group,  of  which  five 
hundred  have  been  counted,  (but  many  of 
them  are  mere  rocks  and  islets,)  the  group 
being  successively  parallel,  first  to  Florida, 
then  to  Cuba  and  part  of  St.  Domingo.  The 
first  part  of  the  New  World,  thus  made 
known,  is  called  the  Great  Bahama.  It  is 
situated  above  3,000  miles  to  the  west  of 
Gomera,  from  whence  the  squadron  took  its 
departure,  and  only  four  degrees  to  the  south 
6* 


60  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

of  it ;  so  little  had  Columbus  deviated  from 
the  course  he  had  wisely  chosen  to  pursue. 

Assuming  the  title  and  authority  of  admi- 
ral and  viceroy,  he  called  the  island  San 
Salvador,  employed  the  next  day  in  visiting 
its  coasts,  and,  seeing  the  natives  universally 
poor,  discovered  that  it  was  not  the  rich 
country  he  expected  to  find.  Perceiving  that 
most  of  the  people  wore  in  their  nostrils 
small  plates  of  gold,  as  ornaments,  he  eager- 
ly inquired  where  the  precious  metal  was 
obtained,  and  gathered  from  the  signs  that 
were  made,  that  it  was  derived  from  the  south. 
In  hope  of  finding  the  regions  of  wealth  he 
had  long  been  desiring,  he  took  with  him  seven 
of  the  natives,  that,  by  learning  the  Spanish 
language,  they  might  serve  as  guides  and 
interpreters. 

Observing  several  islands,  he  touched  at 
three  of  the  largest,  gave  them  the  names  of 
St.  Mary  of  the  conception,  Fernandina,  and 
Isabella ;  but  as  their  soil,  products,  and  in- 
habitants, nearly  resembled  those  of  San 
Salvador,  he  soon  left  them.  Every  where 
he  mquired  for  gold,  and  as  by  signs  he  was 


VISIT  TO  CUBA.  61 

still  directed  to  the  south,  he  speedily  dis 
covered  a  country,  not  level,  like  those  al- 
ready visited,  but  so  extensive  and  diversifi- 
ed, that  he  was  uncertain  whether  it  would 
prove  an  island,  or  part  of  the  continent. 
The  natives  who  were  with  him,  called  it 
Cuba. 

With  the  country  in  which  he  was,  Co- 
lumbus could  not  fail  to  be  delighted.  The 
river  in  which  he  anchored  was  one  of  trans- 
parent water,  with  its  banks  covered  with 
forests  of  high  and  wide-spreading  trees  in 
all  the  luxuriance  of  a  tropical  clime.  Some 
were  adorned  with  beautiful  flowers  ;  others 
were  bearing  fruits,  and  some  exhibited,  in 
rich  fertility,  both  fruit  and  flowers.  The 
trunks  of  the  older  trees  were  everywhere 
covered  with  a  thick  drapery  of  ferns,  moss- 
es, and  orchideous  plants,  which  diffiised 
through  the  air  the  richest  ordors.  Here, 
too,  were  birds  of  brilliant  plumage,  and 
tribes  of  insects,  arrayed  in  splendid  gar- 
ments, which  sparkle  to  the  eye  amidst  the 
pure  air  and  clear  light  of  such  regions,  like 
so  many  briUiant  gems.    If,  then,  a  modern 


62  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TDIES. 

visitor  of  one  of  these  islands  can  scarcely 
define  what  most  excites  his  admiration,  the 
individual  beauty  and  contrast  of  forms, 

"  Or  that  eternal  spring 

Which  here  enamels  every  thing," 

it  can  exite  no  surprise  that  Columbus  should 
describe  this  place,  which  he  had,  at  so  much 
cost,  discovered,  in  the  warmest  terms  which 
his  enthusiasm  could  employ. 

At  the  approach  of  Columbus,  the  inhabi- 
tants fled  to  the  mountains.  And  as  he  re- 
solved to  stop  the  leaks  of  his  vessel  there, 
he  sent  some  Spaniards,  together  with  one 
of  the  natives  of  San  Salvador,  to  view  the 
interior  of  the  country.  Having  advanced 
above  sixty  miles  from  the  shore,  they  report- 
ed, on  their  return,  that  the  soil  was  richer 
and  better  cultivated  than  any  they  had  be- 
fore seen ;  that,  besides  many  scattered  cot- 
tages, they  had  found  a  village,  containing 
above  a  thousand  inhabitants^  that  the  peo- 
ple, though  unclothed,  appeared  superior  to 
those  of  San  Salvador,  and  had  treated  them 
with  the  same  respectful  regard  and  rever- 
ence.    They  also  stated  that  they  had  given 


VISIT  TO  CUBA.  63 

them  a  certain  root,  the  taste  of  which  re- 
sembled roasted  chesnuts,  and  likewise  a 
singular  species  of  corn  called  maize,  w^hich, 
roasted  whole  or  ground  into  meal,  was  very 
palatable  ;  that  there  seemed  no  quadrupeds 
in  the  country,  —  except  a  species  of  dog 
which  could  not  bark,  and  a  creature  re- 
sembling a  rabbit,  but  of  a  much  smaller  size  ; 
and  also,  that  they  had  observed  some  gold- 
en ornaments  among  the  people,  but  of  no 
great  value. 

Some  of  the  natives  had  been  induced  to 
accompany  the  messengers,  who  stated  that 
the  gold  of  which  they  made  their  ornaments 
was  found  in  Cubanacan,  meaning  by  that 
word  the  middle,  or  inland  part  of  the  island. 
But  led  by  his  own  theory  concerning  the  dis- 
covery of  the  East  Indies,  and  by  his  igno- 
rance of  their  language,  Columbus  supposed 
that  they  spoke  of  the  Great  Khan,  and  that 
the  wealthy  kingdom  of  Cathay,  described  by 
Marco  Polo,  was  not  very  remote. 

Still  he  did  not  find  gold  enough  to  satisfy 
the  avarice  of  his  followers,  or  the  expecta- 
tions of  the  court  which  had  sent  him  on  its 


64  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TLMES. 

pursuit.  The  natives,  astonished  at  his  eager- 
ness for  this  metal,  as  the  Spaniards  were  at 
their  ignorance  and  simplicity,  now  pointed 
towards  the  east,  where  an  island  they  called 
Hayti  was  situated,  in  which  gold  was  more 
abundant  than  with  them. 

Columbus  ordered  his  vessels  to  proceed 
thither  ;  but  Pinzon  the  captain  of  the  Pinta, 
impatient  to  seize  the  treasures  he  supposed 
within  reach,  quitted  his  companions,  regard- 
less of  the  signals  of  the  admiral  to  slacken 
sail  until  they  should  come  up  with  him. 
How  important  is  it  to  avoid  the  first  step  to 
an  evil  course  !  Pinzon  had  now  taken  one, 
the  serious  consequences  of  which  will  be 
hereafter  perceived. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  VISIT  OK  COLUMBUS  TO  HISPANIOLA— INTERESTING   INCIDENTS 

FRIENDSHIP    OF  THE  CHIEF  GUACANAGARI  —  COLUMBUS  LEAVES 

SOME    OF    HIS    COMPANIONS     ON    THE    ISLAND,    AND   RETURNS    TO 
SPAIN  —  A    FEARFUL  HURRICANE  —  HE   LANDS    IN   PORTUGAL. 

Columbus  being  abandoned  by  the  Pinta, 
pursued  his  way,  but  being  delayed  by  con- 
trary winds,  he  did  not  reach  Hayti,  or,  as  he 
called  it,  Hispaniola,  so  soon  as  he  expected  ; 
as  he  could  neither  meet  the  Pinta,  nor  obtain 
any  intercourse  with  the  inhabitants,  who  fled 
affrighted  to  the  woods,  he  soon  quitted  St. 
Nicholas,  as  he  named  the  first  port  he  touch- 
ed at,  and  sailing  along  the  northern  coast, 
entered  another  harbor,  which  he  called  Con- 
ception. '  : 

Here  his  people  overtook  a  woman  who 
was  fleeing  from  them,  and  after  treating 
her  with  great  gentleness,  dismissed  her  with 
such  toys  as  they  knew  were  most  acceptable 


66  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TLMES. 

among  the  islanders.  The  sight  of  these 
trinkets,  and  her  description  of  the  strangers, 
banished  the  fears  of  her  countrymen,  and  so 
excited  their  desires  for  similar  gifts,  that 
many  of  them  repaired  to  the  harbor.  The 
strange  objects  they  beheld,  and  the  gay 
baubles  they  received,  amply  gratified  the  cu- 
riosity and  wishes  they  indulged.  Like  the 
people  already  visited,  they  were  without 
clothing,  ignorant  of  the  common  arts  of  hfe, 
and  extremely  credulous,  especially  as  they, 
like  others,  considered  the  Spaniards  descend- 
ed from  heaven.  The  gold,  they  possessed 
in  more  abundance  than  their  neighbors, 
they  readily  exchanged  for  bells,  beads,  and 
pins,  the  trifles  by  which  imcivilized  people 
have  at  all  times  been  easily  deluded. 

A  cazique,  or  chief  of  the  country,  now 
visited  Columbus.  He  appeared  in  all  the 
pomp  he  could  command,  being  carried  in  a 
kind  of  palanquin,  or  litter,  on  the  shoulders 
of  four  men,  and  attended  by  many  of  his 
subjects,  who  treated  him  with  great  respect. 
His  deportment  was  grave  and  stately,  very 
reserved  towards  his  own  people,  but  ex- 


VISIT  TO   HISPANIOLA.  67 

tremely  courteous  towards  Columbus  and  his 
companions.  He  presented  the  admiral  with 
some  thin  plates  of  gold,  and  a  curiously 
wrought  girdle,  and  received  a  piece  of  cloth, 
several  amber  beads,  and  a  flask  of  orange 
flower  water  in  return,  which  were  very  ac- 
ceptable. Columbus  also  showed  the  chief 
some  Spanish  coin,  bearing  the  likenesses  of 
Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  and  endeavored  to  ex- 
plain to  him  their  power  and  grandeur.  As 
another  means  of  impressing  his  guests,  the 
royal  banner  and  the  standard  of  the  cross 
were  brought  forth;  but  they  could  notbeheve, 
in  their  simplicity,  that  such  wonderful  people 
and  extraordinary  things  belonged  to  any 
part  of  the  earth ;  it  appeared  to  them  that 
the  country  and  sovereigns  of  which  they 
heard,  must  be  in  the  skies. 

Still  intent  on  finding  mines  of  gold,  he 
was  directed,  in  answer  to  his  urgent  inqui- 
ries to  a  mountainous  country,  called  Ciboa, 
at  some  distance  from  the  sea  and  farther  to 
the  east.  Struck  again  by  this  sound,  which 
appeared  to  him  the  same  with  Cipango,  the 
name  given  to  Japan  by  Marco  Polo  and 

7 


68  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

other  travelers,  he  directed  his  course  east- 
ward, fully  persuaded  that  the  countries  he 
discovered  were  near  to  the  remote  parts  of 
Asia.  On  putting  into  a  commodious  har- 
bor, which  he  called  St.  Thomas,  he  found 
that  district  was  governed  by  a  powerful 
chief,  one  of  five  sovereigns  among  whom 
the  whole  island  was  divided.  Guacanagari, 
as  this  chief  was  named,  immediately  sent 
messengers,  who,  in  his  name,  presented  to 
Columbus  a  mask  curiously  fashioned,  with 
the  ears,  nose,  and  mouth  of  beaten  gold, 
and  also  an  invitation  to  visit  him  at  his  resi- 
dence, some  leagues  towards  the  east.  Co- 
lumbus sent  some  of  his  officers  to  this  prince, 
and  they  returned  with  such  favorable  ac- 
counts of  the  country  and  the  people,  as  made 
him  impatient  to  see  them  for  himself 

With  a  tranquil  sea  and  a  fair  wind,  he 
left  the  harbor ;  and  as  he  had  been  too  busy 
to  sleep  for  the  last  two  days,  he  sought  re- 
pose at  midnight,  strictly  charging  the  pilot, 
not,  even  for  a  moment,  to  quit  the  helm. 
He,  however,  dreading  no  danger,  carelessly 
left  it  to  an  inexperienced  cabinboy,  and  the 


WRECK  OF  THE  SANTA  MARIA.  69 

ship,  carried  away  by  a  current,  was  dashed 
against  a  rock.  The  violence  of  the  shock 
awakened  Columbus ;  he  ran  up  to  the  deck ; 
there  all  was  confusion  and  despair ;  but  re- 
taining his  presence  of  mind,  he  ordered  some 
of  the  sailors  to  take  a  boat  and  carry  out 
an  anchor  astern.  They,  on  the  contrary, 
made  off -towards  the  Nigna,  w^hich  was 
about  half  a  league  distant.  To  lighten  the 
ship,  he  commanded  the  masts  to  be  cut 
down,  but  his  orders  were  too  late ;  the  vessel 
opened  near  the  keel,  and  filled  with  water 
so  rapidly  that  its  loss  was  certain.  The 
crew  were  providentially  saved  by  the  aid  of 
boats  from  the  Nigna,  favored  by  the  smooth- 
ness of  the  sea.  The  islanders  no  sooner 
heard  of  this  disaster,  than  they  crowded  to 
the  shore,  headed  by  their  chief,  and  so  far 
from  increasing  the  distress  of  the  Spaniards, 
sincerely  bewailed  their  calamity  with  tears. 
They  also  rendered  them  real  service  by  put- 
ting to  sea  a  number  of  canoes,  to  save 
whatever  could  be  obtained  from  the  wreck, 
and  assisted  by  so  many  persons,  almost 
everything   of   value    was    carried   ashore. 


70  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

The  chief  took  charge  of  them  as  fast  as  they 
were  landed ;  hj  his  orders  they  were  all 
deposited  in  one  place,  and  armed  sentinels 
were  appointed,  not  only  to  prevent  the  na- 
tives from  stealing,  but  from  too  curiously 
examining  what  belonged  to  the  Spaniards. 
On  the  following  morning,  the  chief  visited 
Columbus  on  board  the  Nigna,  endeavoring 
to  console  him  by  offering  all  he  possessed 
to  repair  his  loss. 

Most  distressing,  indeed,  were  the  circum- 
stances of  Columbus.  As  yet  he  had  heard 
no  tidings  of  the  Pinta,  and  concluded  that 
Pinzon  had  set  sail  for  Europe,  to  bear  the 
intellio^ence  of  the  discoveries  that  had  been 
made,  and,  as  far  as  possible,  to  deprive  him 
of  the  honor  and  reward  to  which  he  was 
entitled.  Only  one  vessel  remained  —  the 
smallest  and  most  crazy  of  the  three  —  to 
traverse  so  vast  an  ocean,  and  to  carry  so 
many  persons  back  to  Spain.  The  mind  of 
Columbus  was  well-nigh  overwhelmed ;  but 
it  became  him  to  lose  no  time  in  counteract- 
ing the  designs  of  one  whom  he  deemed  a 
most  treacherous   associate.      He  resolved, 


ERECTION  OF  A  FORT.  71 

however,  from  the  difficulty  of  taking  so 
many  on  board  the  Nigna,  from  the  fertihty 
of  the  country,  and  from  the  gentleness  and 
kindness  of  the  people,  to  leave  a  part  of  his 
crew  on  the  island.  He  considered,  too,  that 
they  might  learn  the  language  of  the  natives, 
study  their  character,  examine  their  country, 
wSearch  for  mines,  and  prepare  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  colony  with  which  he  pro- 
posed to  return.  When  his  men  heard  this, 
they  approved  of  his  design,  and  some  even 
voluntarily  offered  to  be  among  those  who 
should  remain.  In  an  interview  with  the 
chief,  Columbus  expressed,  by  broken  words 
and  signs,  as  well  as  he  could,  some  curiosi- 
ty to  learn  why  the  islanders  fled  so  hastily 
at  the  approach  of  his  vessels.  Guacanagari 
replied,  that  incmsions  were  often  made  by 
certain  people  he  called  Caribs,  who  inhabit- 
ed several  islands  to  the  south-east.  He  de- 
scribed them  as  a  fierce  and  warlike  race, 
who  delighted  in  blood,  and  ate  the  flesh  of 
their  unhappy  prisoners ;  and  as  it  had  been 
supposed  that  the  Spaniards  were  some  of 
these  people,  the  natives,  who  durst  not  face 


72  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

them  in  battle,  sought  safety  by  retreating 
to  the  most  impenetrable  woods.  The  chief, 
while  speaking  of  these  terrific  invaders,  ap- 
peared so  much  alarmed,  and  so  conscious  of 
the  inability  of  his  people  to  repel  them,  that 
Columbus  felt  the  opportunity  he  had  been 
seeking  had  arrived  for  the  proposal  he 
wished  to  make.  Seizing  it  therefore,  he 
engaged  to  take  the  chief  and  his  subjects 
under  the  protection  of  the  powerful  monarch 
whom  he  served,  and  offered  to  leave  on  the 
island  a  sufficient  force  to  defend  them  from 
future  invasion,  and  avenge  their  past  wrongs. 
Most  gladly  was  the  proposal  accepted. 
Ground  was  cleared  for  a  small  fort ;  a  deep 
ditch  was  thrown  around  it ;  the  ramparts 
w^ere  fortified  with  palisades;  and  the  great 
guns  saved  from  the  admiral's  ship,  were 
planted  upon  them.  In  a  few  days,  the 
work  was  completed,  the  natives  laboring 
diligently  to  erect  this  first  instrumental  means 
for  their  own  bondage ;  and  Columbus  mean- 
while endeavoring,  by  caresses  and  liberality, 
to  raise  their  opinions  of  the  Spaniards  to  a 
still  greater  height. 


ERECTION  OF  A  FORT.  73 

As  the  fortress  was  proceeding,  the  cazique 
gave  the  admiral,  from  day  to  day,  fresh  proofs 
of  friendship  and  kindness.  Columbus  was 
treated  by  him,  whenever  he  went  on  shore, 
w^ith  the  greatest  hospitality  ;  the  largest 
house  in  the  place  was  made  ready  to  receive 
him :  it  was  strewed  with  palm  leaves,  and 
furnished  with  stools  of  a  jet-like  wood ;  and 
whenever  he  visited  it,  some  jewel  of  gold 
was  hung  around  his  neck,  or  some  present 
made  him  of  similar  value. 

On  one  occasion,  Guacanagari,  attended 
by  five  tributary  chieftains,  each  one  bearing 
a  coronet  of  gold,  met  Columbus  on  his 
landing,  and  conducted  him  with  great  re- 
spect to  this  dwelling.  Seating  him  on  one 
of  the  chairs,  Guacanagari  removed  his  own 
coronet  of  gold,  and  placed  it  on  the  head 
of  the  admiral,  w^ho,  in  return,  took  from 
his  own  neck  a  collar  of  fine  colored  beads, 
with  which  he  adorned  that  of  the  cazique, 
investing  him  with  a  mantle  of  fine  cloth, 
which  he  wore,  giving  him  also  a  pair  of 
colored  boots,  and  putting  a  large  silver  ring 
on  his  finger. 


74  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

Wishing  to  show  the  Indians  how  signally 
they  could  punish,  and  destroy  their  foes, 
Columbus  drew  up  his  men  in  order  of  bat- 
tle, and  made  a  display  of  the  sharpness  and 
power  of  their  weapons.  Strangers  to  the 
use  of  iron,  and  only  acquainted  with  arrows 
of  reeds  pointed  with  the  bones  of  fishes, 
w^ooden  swords,  and  javehns  hardened  in  the 
fire,  these  rude  people  wondered  and  tremb- 
led. To  increase  the  effect  he  had  now  pro- 
duced, he  ordered  the  great  guns  to  be  fired, 
and  the  sudden  explosion  struck  them  with 
such  terror,  that  they  fell  flat  on  the  ground, 
covering  their  faces  with  their  hands.  When 
they  beheld  the  effects  of  the  bullets  on  the 
trees  towards  which  the  guns  had  been 
pointed,  they  concluded  it  was  impossible  to 
resist  men  who  could  use  such  instruments, 
and  who  were  armed  w^ith  thunder  and  light- 
ning against  their  foes. 

Having  thus  produced  the  impression  he 
intended  on  the  minds  of  the  natives,  Colum- 
bus appointed  thirty-eight  of  his  people  to 
continue  among  them,  under  the  command 
of  Diego  de  Arana,  a  gentleman  of  Cordova^ 


PART  OF  THE  CREW  LEFT.        75 

investing  him  with  the  same  powers  which 
he  had  received,  and  providing  him  with 
ample  means  of  subsistence  and  defence. 
He  offered  suitable  advice  to  the  commander, 
and  to  those  who  were  to  obey  him,  promised 
to  visit  them  soon,  and  favorably  to  mention 
them  to  their  sovereign.  The  parting  be- 
tween the  Spaniards  who  embarked,  and 
those  who  remained,  was  painful;  but  it 
w^as  relieved  by  mutual  promises  and  ex- 
pressions of  good-will.  At  length,  the  se- 
paration took  place ;  those  on  board  gave  a 
parting  cheer  to  their  comrades  on  shore, 
and  by  these  it  was  returned  with  feehngs 
it  is  difficult  to  conceive. 

The  leaky  state  of  his  vessel,  and  the 
anxiety  of  his  men  to  make  know-n  what  they 
had  seen,  urged  Columbus  to  hasten  his  voy- 
age to  Europe.  He  had  on  board  some  of 
the  natives,  whom  he  had  taken  from  the 
different  islands  he  had  discovered ;  and  be- 
sides the  gold,  the  chief  object  of  pursuit,  he 
had  specimens  of  the  productions  likely  to 
become  useful  in  commerce,  as  w^ell  as  many 
unknown  birds  and  other  natural  curiosities. 


76  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

After  being  at  sea  about  two  days,  the 
Pinta  was  descried  at  a  distance,  and  soon 
after  came  sailing  towards  them.  As  Colum- 
bus saw  it  was  vain  to  contend  with  the  wind 
that  was  adverse,  he  put  back  into  a  bay, 
and  was  followed  by  the  other  vessel.  Pinzon 
endeavored  to  find  excuses  for  his  conduct, 
but  Columbus  was  satisfied  that  it  was  to  be 
traced  to  selfish  motives.  Avarice  had  be- 
come his  ruling  passion.  He  had  obtained  a 
large  quantity  of  gold,  one  half  of  which  he 
had  kept  as  captain,  and  the  other  he  had 
given  to  his  men  to  secure  their  secrecy  and 
fidehty.  He  had  also  forcibly  carried  off 
four  Indian  men  and  two  girls  whom  he  in- 
tended to  sell  in  Spain.  Not  long  after,  they 
arrived  at  the  river  where  Pinzon  had  been 
trading,  when  Columbus  obliged  him,  though 
very  reluctant,  to  restore  these  persons  to 
their  homes ;  and  they  were,  therefore,  dis- 
missed, well  clothed,  and  w^ith  many  presents. 

A  little  beyond  the  headland  now  known 
as  Cape  Cabron,  they  cast  anchor  in  a  vast 
bay,  or  rather  gulf.  On  landing,  the  natives 
appeared  of  a  ferocious  aspect  and  a  warlike 


A  FEARFUL  HURRICANE.  77 

character.  They  were  hideously  painted, 
decorated  with  the  gaudy  feathers  of  birds, 
and  armed  with  various  weapons.  One  of 
them  came  on  board  the  ship,  where  he 
w^as  regaled,  and  sent  on  shore  with  various 
presents,  in  the  hope  of  opening  a  trade  for 
gold  with  his  companions.  As  the  boat  ap- 
proached the  land,  upwards  of  fifty  armed 
savages  appeared  lurking  among  the  trees, 
but  a  sign  from  the  Indian  led  them  to  lay 
down  their  arms,  and  to  come  forth  to  meet 
the  Spaniards. 

The  latter  tried  to  purchase  some  of  their 
weapons,  and  obtained  tw^o  bows,  but  a 
collision  arose, — two  of  the  Indians  were 
wounded,  and  the  rest  put  to  flight.  The 
day  after,  a  multitude  appearing  en  the  beach, 
Columbus  sent  a  large  and  well-armed  party 
ashore,  but  the  natives  showed  no  sings  of 
either  fear  or  mahce.  On  the  contrary,  the 
chief,  who  was  among  them,  sent  a  string 
of  shells,  which  the  Spaniards  understood 
was  a  token  of  peace,  and  entering  the  boat 
with  only  three  attendants  was  conveyed  to 
the   vessel.      All   appeared  highly  gratified 


78  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

with  their  entertainment,  and  as  he  could 
not  repeat  his  visit,  the  chieftain  sent  the 
admiral  his  coronet  of  gold. 

The  voyage  was  prosperous  for  nearly  a 
month,  but,  at  length,  the  wind  began  to  rise, 
and  increased  until  there  was  a  furious  hurri- 
cane. Columbus  employed  all  his  skill  and 
experience  to  save  the  ships ;  but  as  they 
were  still  far  from  land,  and  exposed  to  the 
fury  of  the  storm,  destruction  seemed  inevit- 
able. The  sailors  had  now  recourse  to  vows 
and  charms,  and  the  invocation  of  saints, 
vainly  expecting  from  them  deliverance. 
"What  a  fearful  error  was  this !  "  There  is 
one  God,"  says  the  apostle  Paul,  "  and  one 
meditator  between  God  and  men,  the  man 
Christ  Jesus."  But  the  title  which  Scripture 
assigns  to  Christ  alone,  is  transferred  by  the 
Romish  church  to  created  beings,  or,  at  the 
least,  is  shared  by  them  along  with  him. 
Thus  they  are  invested  with  a  part  of  his 
special  dignity,  and  he  is  robbed  of  his 
glory.  Nor  is  the  practice  so  palpably  crimi- 
nal, free  from  the  grossest  absurdity.  How 
can  a  merely  human  being  be  present  with 


A  FEARFUL  HUKRICAXE.  79 

more  than  one  votary  at  a  time  ?  And  yet 
it  is  supposed  that  thousands  may  be  heard 
at  the  same  moment,  and  also  be  assisted. 

Columbus  now  ordered  a  number  of  beans 
equal  to  that  of  the  persons  on  board,  to  be 
put  into  a  cap,  one  of  them  being  marked 
with  the  sign  of  the  cross.  Each  one  made 
a  vow  that  if  he  drew  forth  the  marked 
bean,  he  would  go  as  a  pilgrim  to  the  shrine 
of  Santa  Maria  de  Guadalupe,  bearing  a 
wax  taper  of  five  pounds  weight.  The  lot 
fell  on  Columbus,  the  first  to  put  in  his  hand, 
and  from  that  moment  he  felt  bound  to  per- 
form his  vow.  Other  lots  were  cast  in  the 
same  way,  in  the  hope,  by  such  engage- 
ments, of  securing  the  favor  of  that  God 
who  demands  not  Ihe  outward  service,  but 
the  offering  of  the  heart. 

How  different  to  the  condition  of  these 
superstitious  mariners,  are  the  circumstances 
of  those  who  have  boldness  to  enter  into  the 
holiest  of  all  by  the  precious  blood  of  Christ, 
looking  only  to  the  atonement  of  an  almighty 
Saviour,  and  not  seeking  the  intercession  of 
those  who  were  men  of  like  passions  with 


80  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

ourselves!    Truly  and  beautifully  has    our 
poet  Montgomery  said  — 

"  A  sigh  can  waft  them  to  His  feet  in  prayer, 

Not  Gabriel  bends  with  more  acceptance  tbere^ 

Nor  to  the  throne  from  heaven's  pure  altar  rise 

The  odors  of  a  sweeter  sacrifice, 

Than  when  before  the  mercy-seat  they  kneel. 

And  tell  Him  all  they  fear,  or  hope,  or  feel ; 

Perils  without,  aad  enemies  within, 

Satan,  the  world,  temptation,,  weakness,  sin.*,. 

Yet  rest  unshaken  in  his  sure  defence, 

Invincible  through  his  omnipotence. 

*  Oh  !  step  by  step,'  they  cry,  '  direct  our  way, 

And  give  tby  grace,  like  manna,  day  by  dayv 

The  store  of  yesterday  will  not  suffice ; 

To-morrow's  sun  to  us  may  never  rise  ; 

Safe  only,  when  our  souls  are  stayed  on  Thee ; 

Rich  only,  when  we  know  our  poverty.*  " 

In  addition  to  feelings  common  to  men  in 
such  fearful  circumstances,  Columbus  dread- 
ed the  loss  of  all  knowledge  of  his  discover- 
ies, and  of  all  the  benefit  that  might  accrue 
from  them,  and  also  that  he  should  hereafter 
be  considered  as  a  rash  and  deluded  adven- 
turer, instead  of  receiving  the  honor  to  which 
he  was  fairly  entitled.  In  these  considera- 
tions he  lost  all  sense  of  personal  danger ;  but, 
anxious  to  preserve  the  knowledge  of  what 
he  had  attempted  and  achieved,  he  wrote  on 
parchment  a  short  account  of  the  voyage  he 


A  FEARFUL  HURRICANE,  8 1 

had  made,  the  situation  and  riches  of  the  coun- 
try he  had  discovered,  and  of  the  colony  he 
had  left,  and  having  wrapped  it  up  in  an  oil- 
ed cloth,  which  he  enclosed  in  a  cake  of  wax, 
he  put  it  into  a  cask  carefully  stopped  up, 
and  threw  it  into  the  sea,  in  the  hope  that  it 
might  thus  be  preserved,  even  if  the  ships 
were  lost. 

Columbus  was  at  no  great  distance  from 
the  coast  of  Spain,  when  another  storm  arose, 
little  inferior  to  the  former  in  violence,  and 
after  being  driven  before  it  during  two  days 
and  two  nights,  he  was  compelled  to  take  re- 
fuge in  the  river  Tagus.  On  applying  to  the 
King  of  Portugal,  he  was  allowed  to  proceed 
to  Lisbon,  and  though  the  Portuguese  were 
envious  of  the  success  of  another  nation  in 
an  enterprise  which  they  had  considered  pe- 
culiarly their  own,  Columbus  was  received 
with  special  marks  of  distinction. 

Still  there  were  some  w^ho  cherished  very 
different  feelings  to  those  which  might  thus 
be  supposed  to  be  exercised.  Though  Co- 
lumbus, so  far  from  entering  the  Tagus  by 
choice,  was  compelled  to  take  shelter  in  it 


82  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

3oreIy  against  his  inclination,  yet  a  Portu- 
guese historian  states  that  he  entered  Lisbon 
with  a  vain-glorious  exultation,  in  order  to 
make  Portugal  fee],  by  displaying  the  tokens 
of  his  discovery,  how  much  she  had  erred  in 
not  acceding  to  his  proposition. 

Another  Portuguese  writer,  in  describing 
this  visit,  says,  that  the  king,  being  informed 
of  his  arrival,  commanded  him  into  his  pre- 
sence, and  appeared  to  be  annoyed  that  the 
discovery  of  Columbus  had  been  made  Avith- 
in  the  seas  and  boundaries  of  his  seigniory 
of  Guinea,  which  might  give  rise  to  disputes. 
He  also  describes  the  king  as  vexed  by  the 
exaggerations  of  the  admiral,  and  as  accus- 
ing himself  of  negligence  in  having  declined 
the  enterprise  from  a  want  of  confidence  in 
it,  when  his  assistance  was  first  besought. 
He  then  adds:  "And  notwithstanding  the 
king  was  importuned  to  kill  him  on  the  spot, 
since,  with  his  death,  the  prosecution  of  the 
undertaking,  so  far  as  the  sovereigns  of  Cas- 
tile were  concerned,  would  cease,  from  want 
of  a  suitable  person  to  take  charge  of  it ;  and 
notwithstanding  this  might  be  done  without 


RECEPTION  AT  PORTUGAL.  83 

suspicion  of  the  king's  being  privy  to  it, 
(for,  inasmuch  as  the  admiral  was  overbear- 
ing and  puffed  up  by  his  success,  they  could 
easily  bring  it  about  that  his  own  indiscre- 
tion should  appear  the  cause  of  his  death,) 
yet  the  king,  as  he  was  a  prince  greatly 
fearing  God,  not  only  forbade  this,  but  even 
showed  the  admiral  much  favor,  and  dismiss- 
ed him."  It  is  painful  to  record  the  sugges- 
tions of  such  great  depravity;  but  man, 
wherever  he  is  found,  exhibits  corruptions 
which,  unrestrained,  will  plunge  him  into  the 
most  atrocious  crimes.  How  important  is  it, 
then,  that  every  one  of  us  should  seek  "  a 
new  heart,  and  a  right  spirit!"  May  the 
reader  say  in  sincerity  and  truth — 

"  Redeemer  of  the  lost, 
Thy  blood  the  ransom's  cost, 

Thy  ^race  afford  ; 
The  faith,  the  virtue  give, 
On  Thee,  to  Thee  to  live. 

My  life,  my  Lord. 

'^  Spirit  of  quickening  might, 
Fountain  of  love  and  light, 

Thyself  impart; 
And  with  thine  influence  sweet, 
Most  blessed  Paraclete, 

Possess  my  heart." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

COLUMBUS  ENTERS  THE  HARBOR  OF  PALOS— HIS  JOURNEY  TO  BAR- 
CELONA—SPLENEID  RECEPTION  BY  THE  SOVEREIGNS  —  VIEWS 
TAKEN  OF  HIS  DISCOVERIES  —  MORTIFICATION  AND  DEATH  OF 
PINZON. 

On  the  15th  of  March,  1493,  exactly 
seven  months  and  eleven  days  after  his  de- 
parture, the  well-known  vessel  of  Columbus 
was  observed  by  the  little  community  of  Pa- 
los  entering  the  harbor.  To  describe  the 
feelings  now  so  strongly  excited,  is  absolute- 
ly impossible.  The  dwellers  in  that  incon- 
siderable port  had  experienced  the  most 
stormy  and  disastrous  winter  within  the  re- 
collection of  the  oldest  mariners;  and  as 
most  of  them  had  relations  and  friends  on 
board,  imagination  had  long  since  consigned 
them  to  a  watery  grave. 

With  the   greatest  eagerness,    therefore, 


RECEPTION  IN  SPAIN.  85 

they  had  hastened  to  the  shore.  In  propor- 
tion to  the  prevalence  of  fear,  was  now  that 
of  their  dehght ;  and  as  they  beheld  not  only 
the  countenances  of  their  kindred  and  com- 
panions, but  abundant  proofs  that  their  en- 
terprise had  been  successful,  they  burst  forth 
in  loud  acclamations  of  joy. 

As  soon  as  Columbus  had  landed,  the 
whole  population  accompanied  him  and  his 
crew  to  the  principal  church,  w^here  thanks- 
givings were  presented  for  their  auspicious 
return ;  an  example  which  it  would  be  well 
if  those  who  see  the  wonders  of  God  in  the 
deep  would  generally  follow,  on  their  return 
from  a  long  and  dangerous  voyage. 

Pinzon  had  been  separated  from  Colum- 
bus during  the  storm,  and  had  made  the  port 
of  Bayonne.  Anxious  to  secure  his  own  in- 
terests, he  wrote  to  the  sovereigns,  appriz- 
ing them  of  the  discovery  he  had  made,  and 
requesting  permission  to  come  to  court  to 
communicate  the  particulars  of  his  enterprise. 
He  had  felt  some  doubts  whether  Columbus 
had  survived  the  tempest,  but,  on  entering 
the  harbor  of  Palos,  he   beheld   his   vessel 


86  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

riding  at  anchor.  By  a  singular  coincidence, 
Columbus  had  gained  the  port  in  the  morn- 
ing of  the  same  day,  and  at  the  sight,  the 
heart  of  Pinzon  died  within  him.  It  might 
have  been  otherwise ;  but  he  had  taken  his 
own  course,  and  his  villany  was  deservedly 
punished.  His  conduct  reminds  us  of  the 
proneness  of  man  to  change.  He  was  one 
of  the  first  to  aid  Columbus  in  carrying  out 
his  enterprise  —  he  was  the  first  to  abandon 
him.  How  important  is  the  charge,  "  Cease 
from  man !"  how  desirable  is  it  that  we 
should  trust  in  the  Lord  for  ever ! 

Columbus  was  too  anxious  to  present  him- 
self to  the  sovereigns,  to  stay  long  at  Palos. 
He  was  accompanied  by  several  of  the  island- 
ers, arrayed  in  the  native  costume,  and  de- 
corated with  collars,  bracelets,  and  other 
ornaments  of  gold,  rudely  fashioned.  He 
exhibited  also  considerable  quantities  of  the 
same  metal  in  dust,  or  crude  masses;  and 
among  them,  it  is  said,  a  lump  of  gold, 
fashioned  into  a  vessel  for  containing  the 
wafer  used  in  the  sacrement  of  the  Romish 
church.     In  addition  to  these  specimens  of 


RECEPTION  IN  SPAIN.  87 

the  precious  metal,  there  were  numerous 
exotic  plants,  both  aromatic  and  medicinal, 
several  species  of  quadrupeds  unknown  in 
Europe,  and  birds,  whose  varieties  of  splen- 
did plumage  gave  brillancy  to  the  singular 
and  striking  spectacle. 

Multitudes  collected  through  the  country  to 
behold  objects  so  extraordinary,  and  the 
more  extraordinary  individual,  who,  in  the 
emphatic  language  of  that  period,  but  which 
familiarity  has  deprived  of  its  force,  first  ex- 
hibited to  view  a  "new  world."  As  he 
passed  through  the  populous  and  busy  city 
of  Seville,  every  window,  balcony,  and  house- 
top, which  could  afford  a  glimpse  of  him,  is 
described  as  being  crowded  with  spectators. 

It  was  the  middle  of  April  before  Colum- 
bus reached  Barcelona ;  at  the  gates  of  which 
he  was  received  by  the  nobility  and  cavaliers 
attending  the  court,  accompanied  by  the  au- 
thorities of  the  city.  Escorted  by  them  to 
the  royal  presence,  Ferdinand  and  Isabella, 
who  were  seated,  with  their  son  Prince  John, 
under  a  superb  canopy  of  state  awaiting 
his  arrival,  rose  on  his  approach,  and  extend- 


88  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

ing  their  hands  for  him  to  salute,  caused  him 
to  be  seated  before  them.  These  were  un- 
precedented marks  of  condescension  to  a  per- 
son of  the  rank  of  Columbus,  in  the  ceremo- 
nious and  haughty  court  of  Castile.  But 
the  honors  hitherto  reserved  only  for  rank, 
or  fortune,  or  military  success,  purchased  by 
the  tears,  groans,  and  blood,  of  thousands, 
were  now  rendered  to  him,  who  long  suppli- 
cated aid,  and  could  obtain  no  audience. 

After  a  brief  interval,  the  sovereigns  ask- 
ed Columbus  for  a  recital  of  his  adventures, 
and  he  proceeded  to  detail  them,  in  a  manner 
at  once  sedate  and  dignified ;  but  at  length, 
glowing  with  the  warmth  of  his  enthusiasm, 
he  enumerated  the  various  islands  he  had 
visited,  expatiated  on  the  character  of  the 
climate,  and  described  the  capacity  of  the 
soil  for  agricultural  purposes,  appealing  at 
the  same  time  to  the  samples  he  had  brought 
as  specimens  of  its  natural  fertility.  He 
dwelt  more  at  large  on  the  precious  metals 
to  be  found  in  these  islands,  inferring  less 
from  the  specimens  actually  obtained,  than 
from  the  uniform  testimony  of  the  natives  to 


ACTS  OF  ATTENTION.  89 

their  abundance  in  the  unexplored  regions  of 
the  interior.  He  alluded  also  to  the  wide 
scope  afforded  for  the  influence  of  the  doc- 
trines, which  he,  in  common  with  those 
whom  he  addressed,  had  received.  The 
emotions  of  his  hearers  were  exceedingly 
various,  as  they  w^ere  impelled  by  the  pros- 
pects of  ambition,  the  longings  of  avarice, 
or  a  concern  to  diffuse  the  system  of  popery. 
At  the  close  of  his  address,  the  king  and 
queen,  together  with  all  present,  fell  on  their 
knees  to  offer  thanksgivings,  while  the  choir 
of  the  royal  chapel  sang  the  Te  Deum,  as  in 
commemoration  of  some  signal  victory. 

Columbus,  during  his  residence  in  Barce-> 
lona,  continued  to  receive  the  most  honora- 
ble distinctions  which  the  Spanish* sovereigns 
could  confer.  When  Ferdinand  rode  abroad, 
he  was  accompanied  by  the  admiral,  w^ho 
proceeded  by  his  side.  The  courtiers  also, 
emulating  their  master,  gave  frequent  enter- 
tainments, at  which  he  was  tieated  as  a 
noble  of  the  highest  class. 

Among  the  various  acts  of  attention  he 
received,  Pedro  Gonzalez  de  Mendoza,  the 


90  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TBIES. 

grand  cardinal  of  Spain,  invited  him  to  a 
banquet,  and  had  him  served  with  the  cere- 
monies usually  offered  to  sovereigns.  A 
courtier,  dissatisfied  with  this  treatment,  ab- 
ruptly asked  Columbus  whether  he  thought 
other  men  would  not  have  discovered  the 
Indies  if  he  had  failed.  Columbus  is  said  to 
have  made  no  immediate  reply,  but  taking 
an  egg,  to  have  invited  the  compa:iy  to 
make  it  stand  on  one  end.  All  attempted  to 
do  so,  but  in  vain ;  on  which,  striking  it  on 
the  table,  he  left  it  standing  on  the  broken 
part;  thus  showing,  that,  when  he  had 
pointed  out  the  way  to  the  new  world,  it 
was  very  easy  to  follow  it. 

What  a  contrast  was  presented  in  these 
circumstances  to  those  of  former  days !  The 
difference  is  great  between  the  stranger  at 
the  convent  of  Rabida,  and  the  favored  one 
of  the  court  of  Spain;  but  other  vicissitudes 
were  afterwards  to  be  experienced.  Truly, 
"  man,  at  his  best  estate,  is  altogether  vani- 
ty." "Would  that  a  full  conviction  of  this 
pervaded  every  mind ! 


DIFFUSION  OF  HIS  FAME.  91 

"  Ah  !  when  did  wisdom  covet  length  of  days  ? 
Or  seek  bliss  in  pleasure,  wealth,  or  praise  ? 
No  :  wisdom  views,  with  an  indifferent  eye, 
All  infinite  joys,  all  blessings  born  to  die. 
The  soul  on  earth  is  an  immortal  guest, 
Compelled  to  starve  at  an  unreal  feast ; 
A  spark  that  upward  tends  by  nature's  force; 
A  stream  diverted  from  its  parent  source  { 
A  drop  dissevered  from  the  boundless  sea; 
A  moment  parted  from  eternity  ; 
A  pilgrim  panting  for  a  rest  to  come  ; 
An  exile  anxious  for  his  native  home." 

The  fame  acquired  at  this  time  by  Colum- 
bus, was  not  limited  to  Spain  or  Portugal ; 
it  was  diffused  throughout  Europe.  The 
multitude,  struck  with  amazement  at  what 
they  heard,  could  hardly  believe  that  a  new 
world  had  been  discovered ;  but  men  of  sci- 
ence, able  to  understand  the  character  and 
results  of  such  enterprise,  received  the  ac- 
count of  it  with  admiration  and  joy.  They 
spoke  of  it  with  great  delight,  and  congra- 
tulated one  another  on  having  lived  at  a  time 
when  the  boundaries  of  human  knowledore 
were  so  far  extended,  that  mankind  would 
be  led  to  a  full  acquaintance  with  the  struc- 
ture and  productions  of  the  globe. 

Various  opinions  were  formed  as  to  the 
9 


92  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TMES. 

newly- discovered  countries,  and  the  division 
of  the  earth  to  which  they  belonged.  Co- 
lumbus considered,  as  he  had  done  before, 
that  they  should  be  reckoned  a  part  of  those 
vast  regions  of  Asia,  to  which  had  been 
assigned  the  general  name  of  India.  The 
productions  of  the  countries  he  had  discover- 
ed confirmed  this  sentiment.  In  India,  gold 
was  known  to  abound ;  and  the  samples  he 
had  gathered  from  the  island  he  had  ^^sited, 
led  him  to  believe  that  rich  mines  of  the  pre- 
cious metal  might  there  be  found.  There, 
too,  cotton,  another  production  of  India, 
was  common;  the  pimento  of  the  islands, 
he  supposed  to  be  a  species  of  Indian  pep- 
per ;  and  he  mistook  a  root  resembling  rhu- 
barb for  that  valuable  drug,  which  was  then 
supposed  to  be  peculiar  to  India.  The  birds 
he  had  brought  home  were  adorned  with  the 
same  rich  plumage  which  arrayed  those  of 
India ;  and  the  alligator  of  the  one  country 
appeared  the  same  with  the  crocodile  of  the 
other.  On  weighing  these  circumstances, 
the  opinion  of  Columbus  seems  to  have  been 
adopted  throughout  Europe ;  the  countries. 


DEATH  OF  PINZON.  93 

which  he  had  discovered  being  considered  as 
a  part  of  India.  In  consequence  of  this  no- 
tion, the  name  of  Indies  was  given  to  them 
by  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  in  ratifying  their 
former  ao;reement.  And  thouojh  the  error 
was  afterwards  detected,  and  the  true  posi- 
tion of  the  New  World  was  ascertained,  the 
name  was  continued,  and  the  appellation  of 
West  Indies  became  familiar,  as  it  is  to  this 
day. 

To  the  popularity  of  Columbus  at  this 
period,  there  was  a  great  contrast  in  the  cir- 
cumstances of  Pinzon.  From  some  motive, 
either  of  shame  or  fear,  he  sought  refuge  in 
privacy,  waiting  the  reply  of  the  sovereigns 
to  his  letter.  Its  arrival  served  only  to 
increase  his  mortification ;  for  it  severely  re- 
proached him  for  his  vile  conduct,  and  for- 
bade his  appearance  at  court.  Most  bitterly 
did  he  feel  this  communication;  it  greatly 
increased  a  malady  from  which  he  was  suffer- 
ing, and  a  few  days  after  he  died. 


CHAPTER  Vm. 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  A  SECOND  VOYAGE  —  APPLICATION  TO  THE 
POPE — DISSATISFACTION  OF  PORTUGAL  WITH  THE  ENTERPRISE 
OF  SPAIN— DEPARTCRE   OF   COLUMBDS   AND   HIS   FLEET. 

Preparations  were  now  made  for  prosecut- 
ing the  discoveries  of  Columbus  on  a  scale 
proportioned  to  their  supposed  importance. 
A  board  was  established  for  the  direction  of 
Indian  affairs,  at  the  head  of  which  was 
Juan  de  Fonseca,  archdeacon  of  Seville,  an 
active  and  ambitious  ecclesiastic,  who  was 
afterwards  raised  to  high  episcopal  office, 
and  whose  ability  for  business  enabled  him 
to  control  the  department  he  thus  superin- 
tended during  the  whole  of  the  present  reign. 
An  office  for  the  transaction  of  business  was 
instituted  at  Seville,  and  a  custom-house 
placed  under  its  direction  at  Cadiz,  in  which 
originated  the  important  establishment  of  the 
India  House. 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  A  SECOND  VOYAGE.       95 

The  commercial  regulations  adopted,  were, 
however,  of  a  narrow  kind.  Instead  of  the 
new  territories  being  allowed  free  intercourse 
with  nations,  they  were  opened  only,  under 
strict  limitations,  to  Spanish  subjects,  and 
were  reserved,  as  forming  in  some  way  part 
of  the  exclusive  revenue  of  the  crown.  All 
persons,  of  whatever  description,  were  inter- 
dicted, under  the  severest  penalties,  not  only 
from  trading  with,  but  even  visiting  the 
Indies,  without  license  from  the  constituted 
authorities.  And  so  strong  and  minute  were 
the  regulations  made,  that  it  would  seem  to 
have  been  impossible  to  evade  them. 

In  reference  to  the  support  of  the  infant 
colony,  a  more  sagacious  spirit  prevailed. 
Grain,  plants,  the  seeds  of  numerous  vegeta- 
ble products,  which,  in  the  genial  climate  of 
the  Indies,  might  be  desirable  for  domestic 
consumption  or  export,  were  liberally  afford- 
ed. All  kinds  of  commodities  for  the  supply 
of  the  fleet  were  exempted  from  duty.  Ar- 
tizans  of  every  sort,  provided  with  the  im- 
plements they  needed,  and  miners  prepared 
for  their  work,  were  enrolled  in  the  expedi- 


96  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

tioii.  An  ordinance  somewhat  arbitrary  too, 
required  the  owners  of  all  vessels  throughout 
the  ports  of  Andalusia  to  hold  them  in  readi- 
ness for  the  expedition,  and  orders  were 
issued  to  impress  officers  and  men,  if  neces- 
sary, into  the  service. 

Coercion  at  this  time  appears  to  have  been 
unnecessary.  The  Spaniards,  little  accus- 
tomed to  naval  expeditions,  yet  excited  by 
what  they  saw  and  heard,  were  impatient  to 
set  out  on  this  enterprise.  Volunteers  of 
every  rank  solicited  to  be  employed,  allured 
by  the  prospects  which  opened  to  their  am- 
bition and  avarice.  Ferdinand,  cautious  as 
he  was,  and  adverse  to  every  thing  new  and 
adventurous,  appears  to  have  caught  the 
spirit  of  his  subjects.  Preparations  for  the 
expedition  were  therefore  carried  on  with 
great  rapidity. 

The  gross  superstition  that  prevailed,  led 
to  an  application  to  the  pope,  who  was  sup- 
posed to  have  a  right  to  all  the  kingdoms  of 
the  earth,  for  a  grant  of  the  territories  it  was 
wished  to  occupy.  The  pontiff  at  this  tune 
was  Alexander  VI. 


APPLICATION  TO  THE   POPE.  97 

As  the  pope  was  born  the  subject  of  Fer- 
dinand, and  was  anxious  to  secure  the  pio- 
tection  of  Spain,  to  accomplish  his  own 
purposes,  he  promptly  complied  with  this 
request.  The  act  was  not  only  without  cost, 
but  likely  to  prove  very  profitable  to  himself, 
yet  in  the  blasphemous  style  that  was  adopt- 
ed, he,  "out  of  pure  liberality,  infallible 
knowledge,  and  plenitude  of  apostolic  pow- 
er," confirmed  the  Spanish  monarchs  in  the 
possession  of  all  lands  discovered,  or  here- 
after to  be  discovered,  by  them  in  the  West- 
ern Ocean  ;  comprehending  the  same  exten- 
sive rights  as  those  formerly  conceded  to  the 
kings  of  Portugal. 

To  prevent  any  confusion  in  the  two 
grants,  it  was  ordered  by  the  pope  that  a 
line  supposed  to  be  drawn  from  pole  to  pole, 
a  hundred  leagues  to  the  westward  of  the 
Azores,  should  serve  as  a  limit  between  the 
two  kingdoms;  and  thus  he  granted  all  to 
the  east  of  this  imaginary  line  to  the  Portu- 
guese, and  all  to  the  west  of  it  to  the  Span- 
iards. 

The  motive  assigned  for  seeking  and  also 


98  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

for  granting  this  favor,  was  zeal  for  the  pro- 
motion of  Christianity.  Several  friars,  un- 
der the  direction  of  father  Boyle,  a  Catalo- 
nian  monk,  as  vicar  apostolic,  were  appoint- 
ed to  accompany  Columbus,  and  the  Indians 
had  administered  to  them  the  rite  of  baptism. 
Effort  was  then  apparent,  as  it  often  is  on 
the  part  of  the  church  of  Rome,  to  hold  the 
consciences  of  men  in  the  direst  bondage. 

The  court  of  Lisbon  meanwhile  beheld 
with  secret  disquietude  the  increasing  enter- 
prise of  its  neighbors.  The  Portuguese  had 
been  only  timidly  creeping  along  the  shores 
of  Africa,  while  the  Spaniards,  boldly  launch- 
ing into  the  deep,  had  secured  the  possession 
of  unknown  realms,  which  teemed,  as  they 
supposed,  with  inestimable  treasures.  The 
mortification  they  felt  was  greatly  increased 
by  the  reflection,  that  all  this  success  might 
have  been  their  own,  had  they  but  accepted 
the  proposals  of  Columbus. 

No  sooner,  therefore,  was  the  success  of 
the  admiral  established,  than  John  II.  sought 
some  pretence  to  check  the  career  of  dis- 
covery, or,  at  least,  to  secure  some  of  its 


DISSATISFACTION  OF  PORTUGAL.  99 

spoils.  In  his  interviews  with  Columbus  at 
Lisbon,  he  intimated  that  the  discoveries  of 
the  Spaniards  might  interfere  with  the  rights 
secured  to  the  Portuguese  by  the  sanction  of 
the  pope;  but  the  admiral,  without  entering 
into  discussion,  simply  declared  that  he  had 
been  instructed  to  steer  clear  of  all  Portuguese 
settlements  on  the  African  coast ;  and  that 
his  course  had  been  in  an  entirely  different 
direction.  John  professed  himself  satisfied 
with  the  explanation;  but  the  following  cir- 
cumstances will  show  that  this  was  merely 
pretence. 

Soon  after  this  conversation,  he  despatch- 
ed an  ambassador  to  Barcelona,  who,  after 
dwelling  on  various  irrelevant  topics,  touch- 
ed, as  it  were  incidentally,  on  what  was  the 
real  object  of  his  mission.  He  congratulated 
the  Spanish  sovereigns  on  the  success  of 
their  enterprise,  alluded  to  the  civilities  of 
the  court  of  Lisbon  to  Columbus,  acknowl- 
edged the  satisfaction  of  his  master  with  the 
directions  to  him  to  hold  a  westerly  course 
from  the  Canaries,  and  expressed  a  hope  that 
there  would  be  no   interference    with  the 


100  COLmiBUS  AND  HIS  TDIES. 

rights  of  Portugal,  by  any  deviation  to  the 
south.  This  was  the  first  occasion  on  which 
the  existence  of  such  claims  had  been  inti- 
mated. 

Ferdinand  and  Isabella  now  heard  that 
John  was  equipping  a  considerable  armament 
to  anticipate  or  defeat  their  recent  discover- 
ies. This  led  to  immediate  communication 
^^*ith  the  court  of  Lisbon,  and  to  hastening 
the  departure  of  Columbus.  The  comple- 
ment of  the  fleet  was  originally  fixed  at 
1,200  souls,  which  was  eventually  swelled 
to  1,500 ;  and  the  whole  squadron  consisted 
of  seventeen  vessels,  three  of  them  of  one 
hundred  tons  burden  each.  As  soon  as  every 
arrangement  was  complete,  Columbus,  who 
was  accompanied  by  his  two  sons  Diego  and 
Ferdinando,  dropped  down  the  Guadalquiver, 
and  left  the  bay  of  Cadiz  on  the  25th  of 
September  1493,  presenting  a  striking  con- 
trast to  the  commencement  of  his  first  voyage 
only  a  year  before. 

When  the  fleet  had  weighed  anchor,  the 
Spanish  sovereigns  immediately  despatched 
an  embassy  composed  of  two  persons  of  dis- 


PLOT  OF  THE  PORTUGUESE.  101 

tinguished  rank,  to  communicate  its  depart- 
ure to  the  king  of  Portugal.  After  stating 
various  circumstances  connected  with  what 
had  been  done,  and  the  security  to  the  Span- 
iards by  the  pope  of  the  exclusive  right  of 
discovery  in  the  western  ocean,  they  offered 
to  refer  any  matter  of  dispute  to  the  court 
of  Rome,  or  any  common  umpire.  John 
was  deeply  chagrined  at  the  departure  of  Co- 
lumbus, of  which  he  was  now  apprised  :  he 
saw  that,  while  he  was  amused  with  nego- 
tiation, his  rivals  had  acted  with  energy,  and 
throwing  out  hints  of  an  immediate  rupture, 
attempted,  it  is  said,  to  intimidate  the  am- 
bassadors, by  bringing  them  as  if  by  acci- 
dent into  the  presence  of  a  splendid  array  of 
cavalry,  ready  for  immediate  service.  He 
then  vented  his  spleen  on  the  embassy,  and 
treated  those  who  composed  it  w^ith  personal 
disrespect.  It  was  long  before  this  misunder- 
standing was  adjusted. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SECOND  VOYAGE  OF  COLCMBUS  —  DISCOVERY  OF  VARIOCS  ISLA.VDS  — 

EETCRN  TO   HISPANnOLA— ITS  HISTORY   DCRIXG   HIS   ABSE^•CE 

CONSPIRACY  AGAl-NSr  COLCMBCS  —  EXaMINaTIOX  OF  THE  ISLAND. 

The  voyage  of  Columbus  proceeded  hap- 
pily, and  he  soon  made  land.  It  was  one  of 
the  Caribbee  or  Leward  Islands,  which  he 
called  Deseada,  from  the  impatience  of  his- 
crew  to  discover  some  part  of  the  New" 
World.  He  visited  after  this,  Dominica, 
Marigalante,  Guadaloupe,  Antigua,  San  Juan 
de  Puerto  Rico,  and  several  other  islands, 
scattered  in  his  way,  as  he  advanced  to  the 
north-west.  All  these  islands  he  found  in- 
habited by  that  fierce  race  of  people,  whose 
character  and  expeditions  rendered  them  the 
terror  of  these  seas. 

As  Columbus  was  eager  to  known  the 
state  of  the  colony  he  had  planted,  and  to 


SECOND  VOYAGE  OF  COLUMBUS.     103 

furnish  it  with  the  supphes  he  supposed  it 
needed,  he  proceeded,  without  any  tarry- 
ing at  these  islands,  to  Hispaniola.  On 
arriving  off  the  station  where  he  had  left 
his  men  under  the  command  of  Aran  a,  he 
expected  that  they  would  receive  their  coun- 
trymen with  the  greatest  joy ;  but  to  his 
astonishment  none  of  them  appeared.  Anx- 
ious about  their  safety,  and  fearing  some  evil 
had  befallen  them,  he  rowed  directly  to  land, 
but  the  natives  who  might  have  given  him 
information,  had  fled,  the  fort  he  had  built 
was  entirely  demolished,  and  tattered  gar- 
ments, and  broken  arms  and  utensils,  were 
scattered  about.  The  loss  of  the  garrison 
now  appeared  obvious. 

The  Spaniards  were  weepincr  over  this 
supposed  catastrophe,  when  a  brother  of  the 
cacique  appeared,  and  described  what  had 
occurred  since  the  departure  of  Columbus 
from  the  island.  The  people  he  had  left  had 
totilly  disregarded  the  instructions  he  had 
given  them,  and  every  one  had  supposed 
himself  at  liberty  to  gratify  his  own  desires. 
Divided  into  small  parties,  they  roamed  over 
10 


104  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

the  whole  island,  with  the  greatest  insolence 
and  rapacity,  until  the  people,  gentle  and 
timid  as  they  were,  had  their  patience  ex- 
hausted, and  their  courage  roused,  by  in- 
juries so  great  and  unprovoked. 

One  means  of  summary  punishment  appear- 
ed. The  cacique  of  Cibao,  whose  country 
the  Spaniards  chiefly  infested  on  account  of 
the  gold  it  contained,  surprised  and  cut  off 
several  of  them  while  thinking  themselves 
as  secure  as  if  they  had  committed  no  evil 
He  then  assembled  his  people  and  set  the 
fort  on  fire,  in  the  defence  of  which  some  of 
the  Spaniards  were  killed,  while  the  rest 
perished  in  an  arm  of  the  sea,  while  striving 
to  make  their  escape. 

What  a  contrast  to  these  wretched  men 
appeared  in  Guacanagari !  Though  their 
exactions  had  been  great,  his  fidelity  was 
unshaken ;  he  took  arms  in  their  behalf,  and 
in  endeavoring  to  defend  them  had  received 
a  wound,  which  confined  him  to  his  dwelling. 

The  Spaniards  were  not  without  suspicions 
of  the  fidehty  of  this  chief,  but  Columbus 
rejected  the  advice  w^hich  several  of  them 


RETURN  TO  HISPANIOLA.  105 

offered,  to  seize  his  person,  and  avenge  the 
death  of  their  countrymen,  by  attacking  his 
subjects.  Taking  precautions  against  future 
injury,  he  chose  a  situation  more  heahhy  and 
commodious  than  Navidad,  the  first  one  se- 
lected, traced  out  the  plan  of  a  town  in  a 
large  plain  near  a  spacious  bay,  and  obliged 
every  person  to  aid  in  a  work  on  w'hich  their 
common  safety  depended.  The  houses  and 
ramparts  were  consequently  so  far  advanced 
by  united  labor,  as  speedly  to  afford  them 
shelter  and  defence,  and  this  rising  city,  the 
first  that  the  Europeans  founded  in  the  New 
World,  he  named  Isabella,  in  honor  of  the 
queen  of  Castile. 

Many  difficulties  were  encountered  in  carry- 
ing on  this  work,  not  only  in  common  with 
all  such  labors,  but  particularly  from  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  Spaniards.  Not  a  few  of 
them,  from  their  rank  in  life,  were  unaccus- 
tomed to  bodily  toil,  and  the  minds  of  all 
were  excited  by  the  exaggerated  represen- 
tations of  their  countrymen,  who  returned 
from  the  first  voyage,  or  by  the  mistaken 
opinions   of  Columbus.     He  supposed   that 


106  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

the  country  he  had  discovered  was  either  the 
Cipango  of  Marco  Polo,  or  the  Ophir  from 
which  Solomon  imported  so  many  precious 
commodities.  Bat  now  his  companions  who 
expected  to  reap  a  golden  harvest  without 
toil  or  care,  seeing  that  the  prospect  of 
wealth  was  remote  and  uncertain,  and  only 
to  be  obtained  by  slow  and  persevering  ef- 
forts, sunk  into  despondency.  In  vain  did 
their  commander  point  to  the  fertility  of  the 
soil,  and  to  the  specimens  of  gold  daily 
brought  in  from  the  different  parts  of  the 
island ;  for  the  returns  which  the  land  might 
yield  they  had  no  patience  to  wait,  and  they 
despised  these  portions  of  the  precious  metal 
as  scanty  and  inconsiderable.  So  far  did 
discontent  and  disaffection  spread,  that  a 
conspiracy  was  formed,  which  might  have 
proved  fatal  to  Columbus  and  the  colony; 
but  he  happily  discovered  it,  and,  seizing  the 
ringleaders,  punished  some  of  them,  and  sent 
others  as  prisoners  to  Spain.  Thither  he 
dispatched  twelve  of  the  ships  which  had 
served  as  transports,  with  an  urgent  request 


EXPEDITION  TO  CIEAO.  107 

for  a  large  supply  of  provisions  and  a  rein- 
forcement of  men. 

As  an  antidote  to  the  evils  produced  by  in- 
activity, Columbus  determined  to  send  seve- 
ral expeditions  into  the  interior  of  the  country. 
One  detachment  proceeded  under  the  com- 
mand of  Alonzo  de  Ojeda,  a  vigilent  and 
enterprising  officer,  to  visit  the  district  of 
Cibao,  which  was  said  to  contain  the  great- 
est quantity  of  gold.  Columbus  followed 
him  in  person  with  the  main  body  of  his 
troops,  displaying  all  the  military  pomp  he 
could  command  ;  marching  with  flying  colors, 
and  martial  music,  while  a  small  body  of 
cavalry  paraded  sometimes  in  front,  and  at 
others  in  the  rear.  As  horses  had  never 
before  been  seen  in  the  New  World,  they 
were  received  with  mingled  feelings  by  the 
Indians,  who  supposed  that  the  horse  and 
the  rider  formed  one  animal,  surprising  in 
speed,  and  irresistible  in  strength. 

Aiming  in  this  way  to  impress  the  natives 
with  a  dread  of  his  power,  he  treated  them 
also  with  integrity  and  kindness.  The  dis- 
trict of  Cibao  proved  to  be  what  it  had  been 
10« 


108  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

described,  mountainous  and  uncultivated,  yet 
in  every  river  and  brook,  gold  in  dust  or 
grains,  some  of  which  were  of  a  considerable 
size,  might  be  gathered.  The  Indians  had 
employed  no  other  means  to  obtain  it ;  the 
skill  of  the  miner  and  the  refiner  was  to 
them  unknown; — but  the  Spaniards  saw 
enough  to  persuade  them  that  beneath  the 
surface  of  the  earth  there  were  treasures  of 
which  they  hoped  to  be  masters.  To  secure 
so  valuable  a  province,  Columbus  erected  a 
small  fort,  which  he  called  St.  Thomas,  to 
ridicule  the  incredulous  among  his  followers, 
who  would  not  believe  that  the  country 
yielded  gold,  till  they  saw  it  with  their  eyes, 
and  touched  it  with  their  hands. 

The  natives  appeared  generally  well  dis- 
posed towards  their  visitors.  When  any  of 
them  came  near  a  village,  the  most  elderly 
and  venerable  of  the  Indians,  or  the  cacique 
himself,  came  forth  to  meet  them,  and  con- 
ducting them  into  their  habitations,  seated 
them  on  stools  of  ebony,  which  were  curi- 
ously carved.  These  appear  to  have  been 
seats   of  honor,    for  the    natives  throwing 


KLVDNESS  OF  THE  NATIVES.  109 

themselves  on  the  ground,  and  kissing  the 
hands  and  feet  of  the  Spaniards,  offered  them 
fruits,  and  the  choicest  food  they  could  pre- 
sent. At  the  same  time,  they  entreated  them 
to  prolong  their  stay,  with  so  much  solicitude 
and  reverence,  as  showed  that  they  consider- 
ed them  beings  of  a  superior  order. 

The  discovery  of  gold  might  be  pronounc- 
ed seasonable;  for  serious  evils  were  being 
experienced.  The  slock  of  provisions  brought 
from  Europe,  were  either  nearly  consumed, 
or  rendered  by  the  climate  unfit  for  use  ;  the 
produce  obtained  from  the  ground  by  the 
natives  was  scarcely  sufficient  for  their  own 
subsistence ;  and  the  Spaniards  at  Isabella 
had  not  the  means  of  reaping  any  consider- 
able fruit  of  their  own  industry.  All  were 
therefore  reduced  to  a  scanty  allowance,  and 
famine  stared  them  in  the  face.  Sickness, 
at  the  same  time,  prevailed ;  and,  alarmed 
at  the  unusual  symptoms  of  the  maladies  by 
which  they  were  attacked,  the  Spaniards  ex- 
claimed against  Columbus  and  his  former 
companions,  who  had  allured  them  to  a  bar- 
barous region,  to  be  cut  off  by  famine  or 


110  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

disease.  Several  of  the  officers  and  other 
persons  of  note,  so  far  from  checking,  joined 
in,  these  violent  complaints,  and  father  Boyle, 
the  vicar-apostolic,  was  one  of  the  most  tur- 
bulent and  outrageous.  The  address  and 
authority  of  Columbus  were  therefore  called 
into  action,  threats  and  promises  were  also 
employed ;  but  nothing  contributed  more  to 
allay  discontent  than  the  hope  of  finding  in 
the  mines  of  Cibao  an  ample  compensation 
for  all  that  had  been  endured. 


CHAPTER  X. 

VOYAGE  OP  COLD.MBUS  —  HE  MEETS  D.VEIPECTEDLY  HI3  BROTHER 
BARTHOLOMEW ACCUSATION  AQAINST  THE  ADMIRAL  —  HE  PRO- 
CEEDS TO  SPAIN  —  CONDUCT  OF  BARTHOLOMEW  DURING  HIS  AB- 
SENCE. 

As  soon  as  order  and  peace  were  restored, 
Columbus  resolved  to  pursue  his  discoveries, 
and  appointed  his  brother  Diego,  with  the 
assistance  of  a  council  of  officers,  to  govern 
the  island  during  his  absence.  He  also  gave 
the  command  of  a  body  of  soldiers,  who 
were  to  visit  different  parts  of  the  island,  and 
endeavor  to  establish  the  authority  of  the 
Spaniards  among  the  inhabitants,  to  Pedro 
Margarita.  Having  giving  them  full  instruc- 
tions as  to  their  conduct,  he  weighed  anchor 
with  one  ship  and  two  small  barks,  and 
during  a  voyage  of  full  five  months,  attended 


112  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

by  numerous  hardships,  he  only  discovered 
the  island  of  Jamaica. 

Ranging  along  the  southern  coast  of  Cuba, 
he  was  entangled  by  a  great  number  of  small 
islands,  which  he  called  the  Queen's  Garden, 
and  in  this  unknown  course  among  rocks 
and  shelves,  he  was  delayed  by  contrary 
winds,  assailed  by  furious  storms,  and  alarm- 
ed by  the  thunder  and  lightning  so  very  pre- 
valent between  the  tropics.  The  necessities 
and  sufferings  of  his  crew  exposed  him  to 
the  most  imminent  peril,  and  on  no  occasion 
w^re  his  skill  and  experience  as  a  navigator 
more  severely  tried.  It  cannot  excite  sur- 
prise that  he  should  acutely  suffer  from  such 
continued  and  unremitted  exertion  as  he  had 
now  to  endure ;  an  attack  of  fever  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  lethargy  that  deprived  him  of 
sense  and  memory,  and  nearly  proved  fatal. 

Some  incidents  that  occurred  during  his 
stay  are  worthy  of  notice.  On  one  occasion, 
a  venerable  old  man,  a  native  of  Cuba,  ap- 
proached Columbus  with  great  reverence, 
and  presenting  a  basket  of  fruit,  thus  ad- 
dressed him ;   "  Whether   you  are  divinities 


FERTILITY"  OF  THE  COUNTRY.      113 

or  mortal  men,  we  know  not.  You  are  come 
into  these  countries  with  a  force  against 
which,  were  we  inclined  to  resist  it,  resist- 
ance would  be  folly.  We  are  all  therefore 
at  your  mercy;  but  if  you  are  men,  subject 
to  mortality  like  ourselves,  you  cannot  be 
unapprised,  that  after  this  life  there  is  an- 
other, wherein  a  very  different  portion  is  al- 
lotted to  good  and  bad  men.  If  therefore 
you  expect  to  die,  and  believe  with  us  that 
every  one  is  to  be  rewarded  in  a  future  state, 
according  to  his  conduct  in  the  present,  you 
will  do  no  hurt  to  those  vrho  do  none  to  you." 

Such  is  the  statement  made  by  more  than 
one  credible  historian.  If  it  be  asked  how 
Columbus  understood  the  cacique,  the  answer 
is,  that  he  had  carried  with  him  to  Spain,  in 
his  former  voyage,  several  of  the  Indians ; 
one  of  whom,  who  remained  with  him,  had 
acquired  the  Spanish  language.  This  man, 
named  Didacus,  acted,  on  this  and  other  oc- 
casions, as  a  guide  and  interpreter. 

Columbus  speaks  of  the  fertility  and  beau- 
ty of  the  country,  in  one  of  h;  s  letters  to 
king  Ferdinand,  written  from  Cuba,  in  terms 


1 14  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

of  the  highest  admiration.  "There  is  a 
river,"  he  says,  "  which  discharges  itself  into 
the  harbor  which  I  have  named  Porto  Santo, 
of  sufficient  depth  to  be  navigable.  I  had 
the  curiosity  to  sound  it,  and  found  it  eight 
fathoms.  Yet  the  water  is  so  limpid  that  I 
can  easily  discern  the  sand  at  the  bottom. 
The  banks  of  this  river  are  embellished  with 
lofty  palm-trees,  whose  shade  gives  a  deli- 
cious freshness  to  the  air ;  and  the  birds  and 
the  flowers  are  uncommon  and  beautiful.  I 
was  so  delighted  with  the  scene,  that  I  had 
almost  come  to  the  resolution  of  staying  here 
the  remainder  of  my  days ;  for,  believe  me, 
sire,  these  countries  far  surpass  all  the  rest 
of  the  world,  in  beauty  and  conveniency ; 
and  I  have  frequently  observed  to  my  people, 
that,  with  all  my  endeavors  to  convey  to  your 
majesty  an  adequate  idea  of  the  charming 
objects  which  continually  present  themselves 
to  our  view,  the  description  will  fall  greatly 
short  of  the  reality." 

On  the  return  of  Columbus  to  Hispaniola, 
an  event  greatly  contributed  to  his  recovery, 
of  which,  productive,  as  it  was,  of  great  joy, 


ARRIVAL  OF  BARTHOLOMEW.  115 

he  could  not  have  expected — it  was  bis  meet- 
ing with  his  brother  Bartholomew.  Though 
united  in  tender  and  mutual  regard,  they  had 
been  separated  for  thirteen  years.  After 
ending  his  negotiation  with  the  court  of 
England,  Bartholomew  had  set  out  for  Spain, 
by  way  of  France,  and  heard,  while  at  Paris, 
of  his  brother's  extraordinary  discoveries  and 
preparations  for  a  second  voyage.  He  hast- 
ened onwards,  but  the  admiral  had  sailed 
before  he  reached  Spain ;  here,  however,  he 
was  received  by  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  with 
great  respect,  and  was  persuaded  by  them  to 
take  the  command  of  three  ships  appointed 
to  bear  provisions  to  the  colony. 

Most  opportune  was  his  arrival,  for  Co- 
lumbus stood  in  the  utmost  need  of  counsel 
and  support.  The  relief  afforded  by  the 
supplies  that  had  been  sent  was  only  tem- 
porary, and  a  danger  still  more  formidable 
than  scarcity  was  threatning.  The  soldiers 
left  under  Margarita  had,  during  the  absence 
of  Columbus,  thrown  off  all  control,  and 
treated  the  Indians  with  the  greatest  oppres- 
sion. These  people  had  quietly  submitted 
12 


116  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

for  a  time  to  the  tyranny  under  which  they 
groaned,  but  when  they  saw  that  the  Span- 
iards had  built  a  town  and  surrounded  it  with 
ramparts ;  that  they  had  erected  forts  in  dif- 
ferent places,  and  that  they  had  enclosed  and 
sown  several  fields,  it  was  evident  to  them 
that  they  had  come  to  settle  there.  Satisfied 
with  a  handful  of  maize,  or  a  little  of  the 
insipid  bread  made  of  the  cassida  root,  they 
looked  with  amazement  at  the  quantity  eaten 
by  the  Spaniards,  and  supposed  that  they 
had  left  their  own  land  because  it  did  not 
yield  enough  to  satisfy  appetites  so  voracious. 
Self-preservation  urged  them  to  wish  for  the 
departure  of  their  guests,  while  the  injuries 
they  suffered,  roused  their  courage,  and  they 
waited  only  a  signal  from  their  leaders  to 
fall  upon  the  colony. 

A  sense  of  danger  restored  the  authority 
of  Columbus,  who  considered  it  necessary  to 
have  recourse  to  arms,  which  he  had  hitherto 
avoided  with  the  greatest  solicitude.  In 
doing  so,  however,  there  was  considerable 
peril;  the  vast  superiority  of  the  natives  in 
number  compensating  for  the  want  of  dis- 


RECOURSE  TO  ARMS.  117 

cipline,  and  of  any  weapons  except  those  in 
use  among  a  barbarous  people.  The  Span- 
iards, too,  were  greatly  reduced  by  disease, 
two-thirds  of  the  original  adventurers  being 
dead,  and  many  of  the  survivors  incapable  of 
service.  Columbus  felt,  therefore,  that,  in 
circumstances  so  formidable,  he  must  look 
to  the  vigor  and  rapidity  of  his  operations, 
and  immediately  assembled  his  forces.  The 
mind  is  pained  as  it  dwells  on  such  a  con- 
test— a  contest  brought  on  chiefly  by  the  in- 
dulgence of  the  worst  passions — a  contest 
which  threatened  results  the  most  disastrous 
and  afflicting. 

On  the  one  side  appeared  two  hundred 
Spaniards  on  foot,  twenty  horse,  and  twenty 
large  dogs,  the  last  part  of  the  force  proba- 
bly not  the  least  formidable  and  destructive 
when  employed  against  naked  and  timid  In- 
dians. On  the  other  were  all  the  caciques 
of  the  island  except  one,  the  faithful  Gua- 
canagari,  and  it  is  said  a  hundred  thousand 
men.  Destitute  of  martial  skill,  they  took 
their  stalion  in  the  most  open  plain  of  the 
country;  and  Columbus,  seeing  their  error, 


118  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

attacked  them  during  the  night,  when  undis- 
ciplined troops  are  least  capable  of  acting 
unitedly,  and  obtained  an  easy  victory.  The 
onset  of  the  dogs,  the  force  of  the  cavalry, 
and  the  noise  and  havoc  of  the  fire-arms, 
caused  the  greatest  consternation  among  the 
Indians,  who  threw  down  their  weapons  and 
fled  without  attempting  resistance.  Many 
were  slain,  more  were  made  prisoners,  and 
a  considerable  number  were  sent  as  captives 
to  Spain,  and  sold  publicly  at  Seville  as 
slaves;  the  rest  were  so  intimidated,  that 
they  gave  up  all  thoughts  of  further  resist- 
ance, and  abandoned  themseves  to  despair. 

Columbus  now  employed  several  months  in 
marching  through  the  island,  subjecting  it  to 
the  Spanish  government,  and  imposing  a 
tribute  on  all  the  inhabitants  above  the  age 
of  fourteen.  Each  person  who  lived  in  the 
districts  where  gold  was  found,  was  obliged 
to  pay  quarterly  as  much  gold  dust  as  filled 
a  hawk's  bell ;  from  those  in  other  parts  of 
the  country,  twenty-five  pounds  of  cotton 
were  demanded:  and  thus  a  regular  taxation 


TAXATION  Or<  THE  NATIVES.  119 

of  the  Indians  commenced,  which  served  as  a 
precedent  for  still  greater  exactions. 

The  impositions  that  then  took  place  were 
contrary  to  the  ordinary  maxims  of  Columbus 
himself,  which  he  now  abandoned  from  an 
erroneous  policy.  Unfavorable  accounts  of 
his  conduct,  and  of  the  countries  he  had  dis- 
covered, had  been  transmitted  to  Spain. 
Margarita  and  father  Boyle,  now  at  court, 
did  all  they  could  to  his  disadvantage,  in 
order  to  justify  their  own  conduct ;  and  the 
archdeacon  Fonseca  listened  with  partiality 
to  every  invective  against  him.  Columbus 
thought,  therefore,  that,  to  silence  his  ene- 
mies, he  must  produce  such  a  quantity  of 
gold  as  would  establish  his  own  assertions  as 
to  the  richness  of  the  country,  and  encourage 
Ferdinand  and  Isabella  to  persevere  in  pro- 
secuting his  plans ;  and  hence  the  course  of 
exaction  on  which  he  now  entered. 

But  an  infliction  of  wrong  on  others,  though 
it  may  establish  our  own  declarations,  is  not 
to  be  justified.  Sooner  than  our  neighbor  shall 
suffer  injury,  let  us  confess  we  have  erred. 
We  should  aim  to  do  what  is  right,  leaving 

12* 


120  .COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

the  result.  Christianity  takes  the  highest 
ground.  It  demands  a  constant  and  practi- 
cal regard  to  whatever  things  are  "  true, 
honest,  lovely,  and  of  good  report."  It  re- 
quires that  every  one  who  names  the  name 
of  Christ  shall  depart  from  iniquity.  And  it 
is  only  to  a  patient  continuance  in  well-doing, 
that  it  promises  "  eternal  life." 

Toilsome,  indeed,  w^ere  the  labors  required 
by  Columbus  of  the  Indians,  who  had  been 
accustomed  to  an  improvident  indolence ; 
and  they  determined,  if  possible,  to  starve 
out  their  oppressors.  They  therefore  sowed 
no  maize,  pulled  up  the  roots  of  cassida 
which  were  planted,  retired  to  the  most  in- 
accessible parts  of  the  mountains,  and  thus 
reduced  the  Spaniards  to  extreme  want. 
Supplies  from  Europe,  and  the  products  of 
their  own  ingenuity  and  industry,  however, 
prevented,  on  their  part,  any  great  loss  of 
men,  while  the  Indians  suffered  from  famine ; 
and,  in  a  few  months,  a  large  number  of  the 
inhabitants  perished,  after  enduring  the  most 
acute  sufferings. 

The  territories  of  Guacanagari,  like  those 


PERSECUTED  BY  HIS  ENEMIES.  121 

of  the  other  caciques,  were  subjected  to  a 
tribute,  which  the  people,  in  common  with 
others,  had  felt  it  difficult  to  pay.  In  the 
absence  of  Columbus,  the  Spaniards  forgot 
the  sevices  of  that  chief,  and  exacted  harsh- 
ly what  they  considered  due.  His  freindship 
for  them  had  severed  him  from  his  countrymen; 
and  now  those  he  had  succored  were  his 
grievous  oppressors.  Unable  to  bear  these 
accumulated  woes  he  took  refuge  in  the 
mountains,  and  died  in  obscurity  and  misery. 
Meanwhile,  the  most  insidious  misrepre- 
sentations of  the  proceedings  of  Columbus 
were  made  at  the  court  of  Spain,  and  so  far 
were  they  credited,  that  a  commissioner  was 
appointed  to  visit  Hispaniola  and  examine 
his  conduct.  At  the  recommendation  of  his 
enemies,  Aguado  governor  of  the  bedchamber, 
was  appointed  to  this  office,  it  would  seem 
rather  from  his  obsequious  regard  to  their  in- 
terest than  for  any  ability  to  discharge  his 
trust.  Elated  by  his  appointment,  he  acted 
with  all  the  insolent  self  importance  so  com- 
mon to  vain  men,  eagerly  listening  to  every 
accusation  against  Columbus,  and  encourag- 


122  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

ing;  the  Indians  to  produce  their  grievances, 
he  fomented  dissension  without  conferring 
the  slightest  benefit.  Columbus  resolved, 
therefore,  to  return  to  Spain,  and  lay  a  full 
account  of  his  proceedings  before  Ferdinand 
and  Isabella,  from  whose  judgment  he  an- 
ticipated a  favorable  decision  against  all  the 
charges  of  his  adversaries.  He  committed 
the  administration  of  affairs  during  his  absence 
to  his  brother  Bartholomew,  with  the  title  of 
adelantado,  or  lieutenant-governer,  and  ap- 
pointed Francis  Roldan  chief-justice,  with 
very  extensive  powers. 

As  experience  had  not  yet  discovered  the 
more  certain  and  speedy  course  of  stretching 
to  the  north  to  fall  in  with  the  south-west 
winds,  he  steered  unhappily  almost  due  east, 
and  so  difficult  was  the  navigation,  that  he 
w^as  three  months  without  seeing  land.  His 
provisions  at  length  began  to  fail;  the  ad- 
miral fared  equally  with  the  meanest  sailor ; 
and  so  desperate  did  some  of  the  crew  become 
that  some  of  them  proposed  to  feed  on  the 
Indian  prisoners  they  were  carrying  over; 
and  others  insisted  on  throwing  them  over- 


RETURN  TO  SPAIN.  123 

board,  to  prevent  their  diminishing  the  small 
stock  of  food.  Columbus  now  displayed  his 
humanity.  He  represented  that  they  were 
entitled  to  their  share  in  the  common  calam- 
ity, and  soon  his  authority  prevailed,  and  all 
fears  were  chased,  by  the  coast  of  Spain 
being  visible. 

Meanwhile  the  adelantado  w^as  traversing 
the  island,  to  levy  tributes  from  the  several 
caciques,  who  manifested  not  only  kindness 
and  submission,  but  sometimes  a  high  degree 
of  politeness.  Such  of  them  as  possessed  any 
gold,  willingly  presented  all  they  had  to  the 
adelantado  ;  and  others  who  had  not  the  means 
of  obtaining  the  precious  metal,  brought 
provisions  and  cotton  in  great  abundance. 
Among  the  latter  was  Behechio,  a  powerful 
chief,  who  invited  him  and  his  attendants  to 
his  dominions.  As  they  approached  his 
abode,  they  were  met  by  his  wives  to  the 
number  of  thirty,  carrying  palm  branches  in 
their  hands,  who  received  the  Spaniards  with 
dance  and  song.  They  were  followed  by  a 
train  of  younger  women,  w^ho  delivered  their 
branches  with  lowly  obeisance  to  the  adelan- 


124  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

tado,  who,  entering  the  dwelling  of  the  ca- 
cique, found  a  plentiful,  and  according  to  the 
Indian  mode  of  living,  a  splendid  repast 
already  provided.  As  night  approached,  the 
Spaniards  were  conducted  to  separate  cotta- 
ges, wherein  each  was  accommodated  with  a 
cotton  hammock.  Next  morning,  various 
amusements  took  place,  after  which  two 
great  bodies  of  armed  Indians  unexpectedly 
appeared ;  and  a  mock  engagement  ensued, 
showing  their  modes  of  attack  and  defence 
in  their  wars  with  the  Caribs.  For  three  days 
the  Spaniards  were  thus  entertained,  and  on 
the  fourth,  the  Indians  regretted  their  depart- 
ure. Had  they  been  able  to  judge  aright, 
they  would  have  felt  far  otherwise. 


•  rapacious  Spain 


Followed  her  hero's  triumph  o'er  the  main, 

Her  hardy  sons  in  fields  of  battle  tried, 

Where  Moor  and  Christian  desperately  died  ; 

A  rabid  race,  fanatically  bold, 

And  steel'd  to  cruelty  by  lust  of  gold, 

Traversed  the  waves,  the  unknown  world  explored. 

The  cross  their  standard,  but  their  faith  the  sword  ; 

Their  steps  were  graves  ;  o'er  prostrate  realms  they  trod  : 

They  worahipp'd  Mammon,  while  they  vowed  to  God." 


CHAPTER  XL 

APPEARA.NXE  OF  COLUMBUS   AT   COURT  —  ANOTHER    VOYAGE  —  DIS- 
COVERY OF  AMERICA  —  VOYAGES  OF  THE    CABOTS DISCOVERIES 

OF  THE  PORTUGUESE  —  VOYAGE  OF  OJEDA  AND  VESPUCCI. 

The  appearance  of  Columbus  at  court  was 
marked  by  the  modest  confidence  of  a  man 
who  felt  that  he  had  been  maligned  though 
he  had  performed  great  services ;  and  the 
sovereigns,  as  if  ashamed  of  receiving  tri- 
fling, or  ill-founded  accusations,  treated  him 
with  so  much  respect  as  to  silence  and  con- 
found his  enemies.  Columbus  appealed  to 
the  gold,  the  pearls,  the  cotton,  and  other 
valuable  commodities,  he  had  brought,  in 
proof  of  the  condition  of  the  country;  he 
affirmed  that  he  had  secured  to  Spain  a  large 
accession  of  new  subjects ;  he  pointed  out  a 
source  of  wealth  to  that  country,  in  the  rev- 
enue he  had  established,  and  the  mines  he 


126  COLUMBUS  AM)  HIS  TIMES. 

had  opened;  and  he  intimated  that  all  this 
was  but  the  prelude  and  earnest  of  more  im- 
portant discoveries. 

The  impression  made  by  the  admiral  was, 
as  might  be  expected,  considerable  ;  Isabella 
was  flattered  with  the  idea  of  being  the  pat- 
roness of  all  Columbus's  discoveries,  and  even 
Ferdinand  was  moved.  The  result  was,  they 
determined  to  supply  Hispaniola  with  all  that 
could  render  it  a  permanent  colony,  and  to 
provide  Columbus  with  a  fleet  sufficient  for 
new  enterprises.  A  plan  was  formed  of  a 
regular  colony,  to  serve  as  a  model  for  others  ; 
settlers  of  diff'erent  ranks  and  professions  were 
to  proceed  thither ;  husbandmen  were  to 
prevent  the  distresses  which  had  been  previ- 
ously experienced ;  and  emigrants  were,  for 
some  years,  to  receive  pay  and  subsistence  at 
the  public  expense. 

As  it  was  foreseen  that  few  persons  would 
willingly  settle  in  a  country  the  climate  of 
which  had  been  fatal  to  many  of  their  coun- 
trymen, Columbus  proposed  to  transport  to 
Hispaniola  such  malefactors  as  had  been  con- 
victed of  capital,  but  not  the  most  atrocious 


COLONIZATION  OF  HISFANIOLA.  127 

crimes,  and  to  condemn  some  of  the  offenders 
usually  sent  to  the  galleys,  to  labor  in  the 
mines.  The  advice  thus  hastily  given,  was 
inconsiderately  adopted,  and  the  consequences 
were  exceedingly  pernicious. 

Though  the  royal  approbation  was  readily 
given  to  all  the  measures  he  proposed,  there 
were  delays  in  carrying  them  out  sufficient 
to  have  w^earied  all  ordinary  patience,  attri- 
butable to  various  causes,  but  chiefly  to  the 
malicious  arts  of  his  enemies.  By  the  aid  of 
Fonseca,  now  promoted  to  the  bishopric  of 
Badjados,  they  raised  so  many  obstacles,  that 
a  year  elapsed  before  he  could  procure  two 
ships  to  carry  over  a  part  of  the  supplies  des- 
tined for  the  colony,  and  almost  two  years 
were  spent  before  a  squadron  of  six  ships  only^ 
indifferently  fitted  for  the  service  was  equip- 
ped. 

As  Columbus  was  fully  persuaded  that  the 
fertile  regions  of  India  lay  to  the  south-west 
of  the  countries  he  had  discovered,  he  proposed 
to  stand  directly  south  from  the  Canary,  or 
Cape  de  Verd  Islands,  till  he  came  under  the 
equinoctial  line,  and  then  stretch  to  the  west, 
13 


128  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TLMES. 

befo  re  the  favorable  wind  which  blows  in- 
variably between  the  tropics.  From  the  Ca- 
nary Islands  he  despatched  three  vessels  with 
supplies  for  Hispaniola  ;  and,  proceeding  on 
his  way,  no  remarkable  occurrence  took  place 
until  they  arrived  within  five  degrees  of  the 
line.  There  they  were  becalmed,  and  Ihe 
heat  was  so  excessive,  that  many  of  their  wine 
casks  burst,  the  liquor  in  others  was  sour, 
and  their  provisions  became  corrupt ;  and 
the  Spaniards,  who  had  never  been  so  far 
south,  were  afraid  that  the  vessels  woukl  take 
fire.  Some  relief  was  afforded  by  a  season- 
able  fall  of  rain,  but  still  it  was  inconsiderable, 
and  the  admiral  was  so  much  exhausted,  that 
he  became  very  ill.  He  yielded,  therefore,  to- 
the  urgent  requests  of  his  crew,  and  altered 
his  course,  to  reach  some  of  the  Caribbee 
Islands,  where  he  might  refit,  and  be  supplied 
with  provisions. 

At  length  the  man  stationed  in  the  round 
top,  surprised  those  on  board,  with  the  joyful 
cry  of  "  Land  !"  Standing  towards  it,  they 
discovered  a  considerable  island,  which  Co- 
lumbus called  Trinidad,  a  name  it  still  retains. 


TRINIDAD THE  ORONOCO.  ]  29 

It  lies  in  the  coast  of  Guiana,  near  to   the 
mouth  of  the  Oronoco. 

The  Oronoco  rolls  towards  the  ocean  such 
a  vast  body  of  water,  and  rushes  into  it  with 
such  impetuous  force,  that  when  it  meets  the 
tide,  which  rises  to  a  great  height  on  that' 
coast,  a  surprising  and  formidable  swell  and 
agitation  of  the  waves  is  occasioned.  In 
these  adverse  currents,  and  tempestuous  waves? 
Columbus  was  entangled  before  he  could  con- 
ceive of  danger,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest 
difficulty  he  escaped  through  a  narrow  strait. 
As  soon  as  he  was  able  to  reflect  on  an  ap- 
pearance so  extraordinary,  he  justly  concluded 
that  so  vast  a  body  of  water  could  not  be  sup- 
plied by  any  island,  but  must  flow  through  a 
country  of  immense  extent,  and  therefore  that 
he  had  now  arrived  at  the  continent  he  had  so 
long  wished  to  discover.  Animated  by  this 
conclusion,  he  stood  to  the  west  along  the 
coast  of  these  provinces,  since  known  by  the 
name  of  Paria  and  Cumano,  and  landing  in 
several  places,  found  that  the  people  resembled 
those  of  Hispaniola  in  appearance  and  manner 
of  life.     They  seemed  to  possess  a  better  un- 


130  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

derstanding  and  greater  courage  than  the  in- 
habitants of  the  other  islands,  and  wore,  as 
ornaments,  small  plates  of  gold,  and  pearls  of 
considerable  value,  which  they  willingly  ex- 
changed for  European  toys.  The  country 
produced  quadrupeds  of  various  kinds,  and  a 
greater  variety  of  fowls  and  fruits. 

The  shattered  condition  of  the  ships,  the 
scarcity  of  provisions,  his  own  infirmities,  and 
the  impatience  of  his  crew,  prevented  his 
pursuing  his  discoveries  further,  and  made  it 
necessary  to  bear  away  for  Hispaniola.  On 
his  way  thither,  he  discovered  the  islands  of 
Cubagua  and  Margarita,  which  afterwards 
became  remarkable  lor  their  pearl  fisheries. 

Much  as  been  written  with  ability  and 
zeal,  to  show  that  the  American  continent 
was  discovered  by  different  persons ;  but  for 
these  various  and  conflicting  statements  there 
is  no  space  in  the  present  volume.  There 
can,  however,  be  no  doubt,  that  it  had  con- 
tinually been  visited  by  the  Northmen,  dur- 
ring  the  four  preceding  centuries,  from  Mel- 
ville Sound  down  to  Virginia.  A  few  par- 
ticulars in  reference  to  others,  as  more  par- 


THE  CABOTS.  131 

ticularly  connected  with  "  the  times  of 
Columbus,"  must  now  be  given.  It  has 
ah'eady  been  stated,  that  his  brother  Bar- 
tholomew visited  England  for  the  purpose 
of  laying  his  plans  before  the  ruling  monarch, 
Henry  VII.,  who,  notwithstanding  his  cau- 
tious and  penurous  habits,  appears  very 
readily  to  have  closed  with  the  proposition. 
Before,  however,  Bartholomew  returned  to 
Spain,  his  brother,  under  the  auspices  of  Isa- 
bella, had  sailed  on  the  voyage,  from  which 
he  returned  in  triumph. 

Henry,  though  he  had  missed  this  first 
prize,  was  disposed  to  encourage  those  who 
were  inclined  to  embark  in  the  brilliant  ad- 
venture, and  an  offer  was  soon  made  to  him 
from  a  respectable  quarter.  It  is  a  singular 
fact,  that  Englishmen,  who  have  since  be- 
come so  distinguished  for  their  maritime 
power,  did  not  venture  at  that  period  to  un- 
dertake distant  voyages,  except  under  the 
guidance  of  Italians,  whose  vessels  are  now 
never  seen  beyond  the  Mediterrnnean.  En- 
couraged by  the  rising  spirit  of  the  nation, 
John  Cabot,  a  Venetian,  came  over  w4th  his 
13* 


132  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

three  sons  to  settle  in  England,  and  by  him 
a  plan  for  a  western  voyage,  to  undertake 
the  discovery  of  lands  and  regions  unknown, 
was  presented  to  the  sovereign. 

The  Cabots  were  allowed,  in  consequence, 
to  carry  out  ships  and  men,  at  their  own 
expense,  with  an  ample  commission.  They 
were  empowered  to  discover  all  the  parts,  re- 
gions, and  bays,  of  the  eastern,  western,  and 
northern  seas.  They  were  to  fix  the  royal 
banners  of  England  in  any  city,  castle,  town, 
island,  or  firm  land,  which  might  be  by  them 
discovered.  John  and  his  sons,  their  heirs 
and  assignees,  w^ere  to  conquer,  occupy,  and 
rule  the  said  cities,  castles,  towns,  islands,  and 
firm  lands,  as  governors  and  lieutenants  un- 
der the  king,  and  no  one  was  to  approach  or 
inhabit  the  said  places  or  buildings  without 
their  permission.  They  were  to  enjoy  the 
exclusive  trade  of  these  newly  discovered  re- 
gions, being  only  bound  to  bring  all  their  pro- 
ductions to  the  port  of  Bristol.  These  goods 
were  to  be  exempt  from  all  the  ordinary  du- 
ties of  customs ;  but  a  fifth  part  of  the  net 
profits  arising  from  the  sale  was  to  be  paid 
over  to  the  king. 


CHART  OF  CABOT."  133 

With  this  warrant,  Cahot  set  sail,  and  on 
the  24th  of  June,  1497,  saw  land,  which  he 
called  Prima  Vista,  but  to  which  the  English 
have  since  given  the  name  of  Newfoundland. 
He  afterwards  sailed  a  considerable  extent  of 
coast,  both  to  the  north  and  south ;  when 
finding  a  continuous  range  of  coast,  and  no 
opening  to  the  westward,  he  returned  to  Eng- 
land. 

In  this  voyage  we  observe,  therefore,  the 
first  discovery  of  the  American  continent  of 
that  period ;  for  it  was  not  till  the  third  voy- 
age of  Columbus,  in  the  following  year,  that 
he  saw  the  coast  of  South  America,  where 
the  Oronoco  pours  its  vast  flood  into  the  ocean. 
It  is  remarkable  that  while  the  Spanish  dis- 
coverers found  many  historians,  not  a  single 
narrative  should  exist  of  this  memorable  voy- 
age. The  most  authentic  document  is  con- 
tained in  a  writing  made  in  a  map  drawn  by 
Sebastian  Cabot,  and  engraved  by  Clermont 
Adams,  which  was  kept  in  London,  and  of 
which  it  is  said  there  were  copies  in  the 
houses  of  many  of  the  old  merchants.  It  is 
Y£r}'  brief,  and  merely  states  the  discovery  of 


134  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

Newfoundland,  and  some  particulars  respect- 
ing it.  It  describes  the  land  as  barren,  and 
in  consequence  filled  with  white  bears  and 
stags  of  an  unusual  size,  and  the  waters  as 
abounding  in  fish.  It  also  mentions  that  the 
natives  are  clothed  in  the  skins  of  wild  beasts, 
on  which  they  set  a  great  value  ;  and  that  in 
war,  they  used  bows,  arrows,  darts,  w^ooden 
clubs,  and  slings. 

This  chart  is  said  to  have  been  preserved, 
at  one  time,  in  the  queen's  private  gallery  at 
Whitehall,  but  to  have  been  afterwards  de- 
stroyed by  fire.  The  only  other  meagre  tes- 
timony is  that^of  one  who  saw  three  natives 
brought  over  by  the  Cabots  from  Newfound- 
land. These  he  describes  as  "  clothed  in 
beasts'  skins,"  as  eating  raw  flesh,  and  as 
speaking  a  language  which  no  one  could  un- 
derstand. Two  years  after  he  saw  them 
dressed  like  Englishmen,  in  Westminster 
Palace,  "which,"  he  says,  "  that  time  I  could 
not  discern  from  Englishmen,  till  I  was  learn- 
ed what  they  were ;  but,  as  for  speech,  I 
heard  none  of  them  utter  one  word." 

These  are  the  only  records  preserved  by 


SEBASTIAN  CABOT.  135 

England  of  her  earliest  and  one  of  the  most 
illustrious  maritime  adventurers.  It  appears 
that  John  Cabot  soon  died ;  and  Sebastian, 
the  most  intelligent  of  his  sons,  finding  no 
sufficient  encouragement  or  honor  in  England, 
repaired  to  Spain,  where  the  ardor  of  discov- 
ery still  continued.  He  was  readily  received 
by  the  sovereign  of  that  country,  and  sent  to 
the  coast  of  Brazil,  where  he  made  the  im- 
portant discovery  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata.  He 
became  the  most  eminent  person  of  his  age 
for  the  sciences  connected  with  his  favourite 
pursuits,  the  construction  of  maps,  geography, 
navigation  ;  and  when  unfitted  by  age  for  the 
active  exertions  of  a  sea-faring  life,  he  was 
the  guide  and  director  of  others,  and  obtained 
the  honorable  title  of  Piloto,  Mayor  of 
Spain. 

On  the  accession  of  Ed  ward  VI  to  the  throne 
of  England,  the  nation  at  last  caught  the 
spirit  of  maritime  adventure.  Cabot  was  in- 
vited back  to  this  country,  and  constituted 
Grand  Pilot  of  England,  with  an  ample 
salary.  In  this  capacity  he  formed  a  plan, 
and  drew  up  the  instructions  for  an  expedition, 


136  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

sent  under  Sir  Hugh  Willoughby  and  Chan- 
cellor, to  attempt  the  discovery  of  India  by 
the  north-east.  With  all  his  knowledge,  and 
in  the  course  of  a  long  life,  Sebastian  never 
committed  to  writing  any  narrative  of  the  voy- 
age to  North  America.  The  curious  on  the 
continent,  however,  obtained  in  conversation 
with  him  various  particulars  which  gave  a 
general  idea  of  the  extent  and  tenor  of  his 
discovery.  From  this  it  appears  that  the  Ca- 
bots,  like  Columbus,  made  their  cheif  object 
the  reaching  of  Cathay,  and  the  golden  re- 
gions of  India,  which  had  still  attached  to 
them  all  the  European  ideas  of  wealth. 
Sebastian  proceeded  first  to  the  north,  in  the 
hope,  that  by  turning  on  that  side,  the  bound- 
ary of  the  continent,  he  might  find  himself  in 
the  expanse  of  ocean  which  led  to  the  eastern 
regions.  He  reached  the  latitude  of  about 
fifty-six  degrees ;  but  finding  the  sea  encum- 
bered with  floating  ice,  and  the  coast  tending 
back  to  the  eastward,  he  was  either  discou- 
raged, or  as  some  say  overpowered  by  a 
mutiny  of  the  sailors,  perhaps  both  causes. 
Retracing  his  course,  and  reaching  his  former 


VOYAGE  OF  CABOT.  137 

point,  he  thence  proceeded  to  the  south-ward, 
still  keeping  the  same  object  in  view ;  but 
though  this,  like  the  former  coast,  tended 
steadily  to  the  westward,  it  appeared  as  un- 
broken, and  gave  as  little  hope  as  ever  of  the 
passage  to  find  which  had  been  his  chief  object. 
Worn  out  with  so  long  a  voyage,  for  that  age, 
he  returned  to  England.  In  this  southern 
course,  he  stated  himself  to  have  reached  the 
latitude  of  Gibraltar,  and  the  longitude  of 
Cuba,  which  would  place  him  near  the  en- 
trance of  the  Chesapeakes. 

Once,  as  has  already  been  seen,  the  efforts 
of  navigators  were  limited  and  timorous  ;  but 
the  compass  had  gradually  wrought  a  mighty 
change. 

"  Then  man  no  longer  plied  with  timid  oar 

And  failing  heart,  along  the  windward  shore  ; 

Broad  to  the  sky,  he  tamed  bis  fearless  sail, 

Defied  the  adverse,  wooed  the  favoring  gale  ; 

Bared  to  the  storm  his  adamantine  breast, 

Or  soft  on  ocean's  lap  lay  down  to  rest ; 

While  free,  as  clouds  the  liquid  ether  sweep, 

His  wliite-winged  vessels  coursed  the  unbounded  deep  ^ 

From  clime  to  clime  the  wanderer  loved  to  roam, 

The  waves  his  heritage,  the  world  his  home." 

During  the  occurence  of  the  events  which 
have  now  been  detailed,  the  spirit  of  dis^ 


138  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

covery  was  not  allowed  to  slumber  among: 
the  Portuguese.  Emanuel,  who  inherited  the 
enterprising  genius  of  his  predecessors,  pur- 
sued their  plan  of  opening  a  passage  to  the 
East  Indies  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope ;  and 
soon  after  his  accession  to  the  throne,  equip- 
ed  a  squadron  for  the  voyage.  The  command 
of  it  was  committed  to  Vasco  de  Gama,  a 
man  of  noble  birth,  and  of  prudence  and 
courage,  which  fitted  him  for  the  station.- 
Setting  sail  from  Lisbon,  and  standing  to- 
wards the  south,  he  had  to  struggle  for  four 
months,  before  he  could  reach  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope.  His  difficulties  arose  from  the 
little  acquaintance  at  that  period  with  the 
course  of  the  trade  winds,  and  monsoons,, 
which  render  navigation  in  the  Atlantic,  as 
well  as  in  the  sea  that  separates  Africa  from 
India,  at  some  seasons  easy,  and  at  others  dan- 
gerous and  almost  impracticable.  Another 
time  would  have  been  more  propitious  ;  but 
when  the  violence  of  the  winds  began  to  a- 
bate,  Gama  doubled  the  formidable  promon- 
tory of  the  Cape,  so  long  the  boundary  of 
navigation.     He  now  directed  his  course  to- 


SUCCESS  OF  GAMA.  139 

wards  the  north-east,  along  the  African  coast, 
touched  at  several  ports,  and,  after  various 
adventures,  he  came  to  anchor  before  the  city 
of  MeHnda. 

In  the  vast  countries  which  extend  along- 
the  coast  of  Africa,  from  the  river  Senegal 
to  the  confines  of  Zanquebar,  the  Portuguese 
had  found  a  race  of  men,  rude  and  uncultured, 
strangers  to  letters,  arts,  and  commerce ;.  and 
differing  no  less  in  their  features  and  com- 
plexion, than  in  their  manners  and  institu- 
tions, from  the  inhabitants  of  Europe.  As 
they  advanced  beyond  this  point,  they  observ- 
ed, to  their  great  joy,  that  the  human  form  ap- 
peared gradually  to  improve ;  the  Asiatic  fea- 
tures began  to  predominate,  marks  of  civili- 
zation were  obvious,  and  commerce  was  car- 
ried on. 

At  that  time  several  vessels  from  India  were 
in  the  port  of  Melinda,  and  Gama  now  pur- 
sued his  voyage,  with  almost  absolute  certain- 
ty of  success.  Conducted  by  a  Mohammedan 
pilot,  he  arrived  at  Calicut,  on  the  coast  of 
Malabar. 

The  view  he  now  had  of  the  populousness,, 
14 


140  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

the  industry,  the  civilization,  and  the  arts  of 
the  country  he  visited,  far  surpassed  his  ex- 
pectations ;  but  his  squadron  was  feeble,  like 
all  those  who  fitted  out  for  early  discoveries, 
consisting  only  of  three  vessels,  of  neither 
force  nor  burden  adequate  to  the  service.  Not 
having,  therefore,  sufficient  power  to  attempt 
a  settlement,  nor  proper  commodities  for  com- 
merce, he  hastened  back  to  Portugal,  with  ti- 
dings of  a  successful  voyage ;  the  longest  and 
most  difficult  that  had  ever  been  made  since 
the  invention  of  navigation. 

The  success  of  Vasco  de  Gama  induced 
the  king  of  Portugal  to  fit  out  a  fleet  not 
only  adapted  to  carry  on  trade,  but  to  attempt 
conquest.  The  command  of  it  was  given  to 
Pedro  Alvarez  Cabral,  who,  to  avoid  the  coast 
of  Africa,  where  he  was  certain  of  meeting 
variable  breezes,  or  frequent  calms,  which 
might  retard  his  voyage,  stood  out  to  sea. 
The  consequence  of  this  was  very  remarka- 
ble ;  for  he  kept  so  far  to  the  west,  that,  to 
his  surprise,  he  found  himself  on  the  shore  of 
an  unknown  country,  in  the  tenth  degree  be- 
yond the  line.     He  at  first  supposed  it  was 


TOYAGES  or  OJEDA  AND  VESPUCCI.         141 

seme  island  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  hitherto 
unobserved ;  but  proceeding  along  its  coast 
for  several  days,  he  was  gradually  led  to  be- 
lieve that  a  country  so  extensive  formed  a 
part  of  some  great  continent.  His  conclu- 
sion was  correct ;  the  country  he  thus  acci- 
dentally reached  being  that  province  of  South 
America,  now  known  by  the  name  of  Brazil. 
Here  Cabral  landed,  and,  thinking  very  high- 
ly of  the  fertility  of  the  soil  and  the  salubri- 
ousness  of  the  climate,  he  took  possession  of 
it  for  the  crown  of  Portugal,  and  despatched 
a  ship  to  Lisbon  with  the  tidings. 

Spain  was  at  this  time  the  scene  of  consid- 
erable activity.  Private  adventurers,  allured 
by  the  magnificent  descriptions  of  Columbus, 
as  well  as  by  his  specimens  of  wealth,  offer- 
ed, at  their  own  risk,  to  fit  out  squadrons,  and 
go  in  quest  of  new  countries.  One  of  the 
first  propositions  of  this  kind  was  made  by 
Alonzo  de  Ojeda,  who  accompanied  Colum- 
bus in  his  second  voyage.  The  merchants  of 
Seville,  confiding  in  his  rank  and  character, 
undertook  to  equip  four  ships,  if  he  could  ob- 
tain the  royal  license,  a  favor  easily  secured ; 


142  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

and,  without  consulting  Columbus,  or  consid- 
ering his  rights,  Ojeda  was  allured  to  set  out 
for  the  new  world.  To  direct  his  course,  the 
bishop  of  Badajoz  gave  him  the  admiral's 
journal  of  the  last  voyage,  and  his  charts  of 
the  countries  he  had  discovered.  Adhering 
servilely  to  the  route  previously  tal<:en,  he  ar- 
rived on  the  coast  of  Paria,  traded  with  the 
people,  and,  standing  to  the  west,  ranged  a- 
long  a  considerable  extent  of  coast  beyond 
that  on  which  Columbus  had  touched.  In  do- 
ing so,  he  carried  off  numbers  of  the  natives, 
and  on  arriving  at  Cadiz,  having  his  ships 
crowded  with  captives,  he  sold  them  as 
slaves.  It  is  said,  however,  that  when  all 
the  expenses  of  the  expedition  w^ere  deducted, 
there  were  not  more  than  fifteen  hundred  dol- 
lars to  be  divided  among  fifty-five  adventurers. 
Ojeda  was  accompanied  in  this  voyage  by 
Amerigo  Vespucci,  who  seems  to  have  acquired 
so  much  influence  that  he  was  willingly  allow- 
ed to  have  a  chief  share  in  directing  the  voy- 
age. On  his  return,  he  had  the  address  so 
to  frame  his  narrative,  as  to  make  it 
appear  that  he  had  first  discovered  America. 


GRANDEUR  OF  AMERICA.  143 

As  this  was  the  first  published  account,  it 
was  calculated  to  gratify  the  passion  for 
what  is  new  and  marvellous  ;  and  being  ra- 
pidly circulated  was  read  with  admiration. 
The  country  of  which  Amerigo  was  supposed 
to  be  the  discoverer,  came  gradually  to  be 
called  by  his  name. 

Within  the  last  few  years,  a  collection 
of  voyages  has  been  issued  by  Navarette,  con- 
taining, among  other  things,  the  original 
letters  recording  the  voyages  of  Vespucci  to 
America,  illustrated  by  all  the  authorities  and 
facts  that  could  be  collected  by  an  indefatiga- 
ble writer.  This  mass  of  evidence  shows 
clearly  that  Columbus  is  entitled  to  the  honor 
of  discovering  the  southern  continent,  as  well 
as  the  islands  of  the  western  hemisphere. 

The  discovery  of  America  has  had  a  most 
powerful  influence  in  calling  forth  the  ener- 
gies, and  modifying  the  condition,  of  Europe- 
an nations.  America  greatly  differed  from  the 
w^orld  with  which  the  eyes  of  its  discoverers 
had  been  familiar.  Nature  appeared  in  sav- 
age and  primaeval  grandeur,  having  no  trace 
of  the  results  of  art  and  culture  to  which 
14' 


144  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

Europe  owes  its  fame  and  aspect.  Nearly 
its  whole  surface  was  covered  by  a  forest 
which  no  human  hand  had  planted.  Every 
object  was  on  a  noble  and  subhme  scale. 
Its  mountains  w^ere  more  lofty  and  extended 
than  those  of  the  old  world  Rivers,  travers- 
ing the  entire  breadth  of  the  continent,  pour- 
ed such  a  profusion  of  waters,  that  streams, 
considered  great  in  Europe,  ranked  here  only 
as  creeks  and  rivulets.  Man  was  a  still  more 
singular  object  than  the  region  which  he  oc- 
cupied— a  stranger  to  art,  to  science,  and 
even  to  the  rude  forms  of  social  existence. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

COLT'MBUS    ARRIVES    AT    HISPaNIOLA  —  WRETCHED   STATE    OP   THE 

COLONY  —  CONSPIRACY  AGAINST  COLUMBUS HE  IS  ARRESTED  AND 

CARRIED  IN  FETTERS  TO  SPAIN. 

On  arriving  at  Hispaniola,  Columbus  was 
greatly  reduced  by  sickness  and  fatigue ;  but 
the  state  of  the  colony  forbade  all  propects 
of  repose.  The  adelantado,  according  to  his 
advice,  had  removed  the  colony  to  a  more 
commodious  station  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  island,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  St. 
Domingo,  long  the  most  considerable  town 
in  the  new  world. 

On  the  establishment  of  the  new  settle- 
ment, the  adelantado  marched  into  those  parts 
which  had  not  before  been  visited  or  reduced 
to  obedience ;  and  the  people,  unable  to  re- 
sist, submitted  every  where  to  the  tribute  he 
imposed.     The  burthen  soon  became  intole- 


146  COLTJMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

rable  ;  they  took  arms  against  their  oppress- 
ors, but  these  insurrections  were  soon  brought 
to  an  end. 

At  this  time,  a  mutiny  really  alarming 
broke  out  among  the  Spaniards ;  the  leader 
of  it  being  Francis  Roldan,  whose  office  re- 
quired him  to  be  the  guardian  of  order  and 
tranquility,  but  whose  thoughtless  ambition 
plunged  him  into  this  desperate  measure. 
He  accused  Columbus  and  his  brothers  of 
arrogance  and  severity,  asserted  that  they 
aimed  at  founding  an  independent  dominion, 
and  represented  it  as  unworthy  of  Castillians 
to  continue  the  passive  slaves  of  three  Gene- 
vese  adventurers.  These  insinuations  had 
with  the  Spaniards  considerable  weight;  a 
number  of  them  chose  him  as  their  leader, 
and  taking  arms  against  the  adelantado  and 
his  brother,  seized  the  king's  magazine  of 
provisions,  and  endeavored  to  surprise  the 
fort  at  St.  Domingo,  but  in  this  they  were 
foiled  by  the  courage  and  vigilance  of  Don 
Diego.  Compelled  to  retire  to  the  province 
of  Xaragua,  they  not  only  disclaimed  the 


WRETCHED  STATE  OF  ST.  DOMINGO.        147 

authority  of  the  adelantado,  but  excited  the 
Indians  to  throw  off  the  yoke. 

Columbus  landed  at  St.  Domingo  in  this 
distracted  state  of  the  colony,  and  was  as- 
tonished at  finding  that  the  three  vessels  he 
had  despatched  from  the  Canaries  had  not 
arrived.  From  the  violence  of  currents,  and 
the  unskilfulness  of  the  pilots,  they  had  been 
driven  a  hundred  and  sixty  miles  to  the  west 
of  St.  Domingo,  and  compelled  to  take  shel- 
ter in  a  harbor  of  the  very  province  to  which 
the  mutineers  had  repaired.  Roldan  care- 
fully concealed  from  the  commanders  of  the 
ships  his  insurrection;  and,  making  every 
effort  to  gain  their  confidence,  persuaded 
them  to  set  on  shore  a  considerable  part  of 
the  new  settlers  they  had  brought  over,  that 
they  might  proceed  by  land  to  St.  Domingo. 
The  refuse  of  the  jails  of  Spain,  to  whom 
idleness,  licentiousness,  and  deeds  of  violence 
were  familiar,  required  but  few  arguments  to 
espouse  the  cause  of  Roldan,  and  they  eager- 
ly returned  to  a  course  like  that  to  which 
they  had  been  accustomed.  The  command- 
ers of  the  vessels  saw  when  it  was  too  late 


148  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

their  imprudence  in  disembarking  so  many 
of  their  men,  stood  away  from  St.  Domingo, 
and  reached  the  port  a  few  days  after  the 
admiral ;  but  their  stock  of  provisions,  wast- 
ed during  so  long  a  voyage,  brought  little 
relief  to  the  colony. 

Roldan,  aided  by  a  band  of  such  bold  and 
desperate  associates,  became  extremely  form- 
idable, and  no  less  extravagant  in  his  de- 
mands; but  Columbus,  though  enraged  at 
his  ingratitude,  and  exasperated  at  the  inso- 
lence of  his  followers,  delayed  to  take  the 
field.  He  dreaded  the  breaking  forth,  and 
the  bitter  consequences  of  a  civil  w^ar;  and 
he  determined  to  negociate  rather  than  fight. 

A  seasonable  proclamation,  offering  a  free 
pardon  to  such  as  would  return  to  obedience, 
impressed  the  minds  of  some  of  the  mutineers. 
Engaging  to  grant  to  all  who  should  desire 
it  the  liberty  of  returning  to  Spain,  he  al- 
lured all  those  unfortunate  adventurers,  who, 
from  sickness  and  disappointment,  —  were 
disgusted  with  the  country.  Promising  to 
reinstate  Roldan  in  his  office,  he  soothed  his 
pride  j  and,  complying  with  most  of  his  de- 


ROLDAN'S  INSURRECTIO>f.  149 

mands  in  behalf  of  his  followers,  he  satisfied 
their  avarice.  Thus,  after  many  tedious  ne- 
gotiations, but  gradually  and  without  blood- 
shed, he  put  an  end  to  this  dangerous  con- 
federacy, and  restored  the  appearance  of 
order  and  tranquility. 

Lands  were  now  allotted  to  the  mutineers 
in  different  parts  of  the  island,  and  the  Indi- 
ans settled  there  were  appointed  to  cultivate 
a  certain  portion  of  new  ground  for  the  use 
of  their  masters.  This  arrangement  substi- 
tuted labor  for  the  payment  of  tribute,  but 
it  brought  heavy  calamities  on  that  unhappy 
people.  It  also  prevented  Columbus  from 
prosecuting  his  discoveries  on.  the  continent, 
as  self-preservation  compelled  him  to  keep 
near  him  the  adelantado  and  the  sailors  whom 
he  intended  to  employ  in  that  service.  As 
soon  as  he  could,  he  sent  some  of  his  ships 
to  Spain,  with  a  journal  of  his  voyage,  a 
description  of  the  new  countries  he  had  dis- 
covered, a  chart  of  the  coast  along  which  he 
had  sailed,  and  specimens  of  the  gold,  pearls, 
and  other  valuable  or  curious  productions 
which  he  had  obtained  from  traffic  with  the 


150  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

natives.  He  described,  at  the  same  time, 
the  insurrection  in  St.  Domingo,  and  propos- 
ed several  regulations  for  its  better  govern- 
ment. Roldan  and  his  associates  did  not 
neglect  to  send  to  Spain,  by  the  same  ships, 
a  defence  of  their  conduct,  and  various  accu- 
sations against  the  admiral  and  his  brothers ; 
and  unhappily  the  latter  gained  most  credit, 
and  produced  unexpected  effects. 

Great  difficulties  still  attended  the  course 
of  Columbus.  Though  the  pacification  with 
Roldan  broke  the  union  and  weakened  the 
force  of  the  mutineers,  yet  several  of  them 
continued  in  arms,  and  refused  to  submit  to 
the  admiral.  He  and  his  brother  were  there- 
fore obliged  alternately  to  take  the  field  in 
order  to  check  their  incursions,  or  to  punish 
their  crimes,  and  constant  occupation  and 
disquiet  prevented  his  giving  due  attention 
to  the  plots  of  his  enemies  in  Spain.  A  con- 
siderable number  of  the  most  dissatisfied  had 
returned  with  the  ships  which  he  despatched 
from  St.  Domingo,  their  disappointments 
having  inflamed  their  rage,  and  their  poverty 
and  distress  exciting  compassion.     They  an- 


FRANCIS  DE  BOBADILLA.  151 

noyed  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  incessantly 
with  memorials  filled  with  the  detail  of  their 
grievances  and  their  charges  against  Colum- 
bus ;  and  whenever  the  sovereigns  appeared 
in  public,  clamorously  demanded  the  redress 
of  their  wrongs.  They  insulted  the  admiral's 
sons  whenever  they  met  them ;  and  as  these 
endeavors  were  seconded  by  the  secret,  but 
more  dangerous  insinuations  of  the  courtiers,- 
who  had  always  thwarted  his  schemes,  they 
were  the  more  formidable. 

Ferdinand  was  disposed  to  listen  partially 
to  these  accusations.  The  remittances  fell 
far  short  of  the  expenses  of  the  armaments, 
and  the  honor  of  the  discovery,  with  a  pros- 
pect of  remote  commercial  advantage,  was 
the  only  return  for  the'  efforts  that  had  been 
made.  This  was  not  enough  to  satisfy  the 
mind  of  Ferdinand  ;  he  considered,  therefore, 
that  Spain  had  lost  by  the  enterprise  of  Co- 
lumbus;  and  imputed  it  to  his  misconduct 
and  incapacity  for  government,  that  a  coun- 
try abounding  in  gold,  had  yielded  nothing 
of  value  to  its  conquerors.  Even  Isabella 
began  to  suspect  that  a  disaffection  so  gene- 
15 


152  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

ral  must  have  been  caused  by  real  grievances, 
and  the  bishop  of  Barlajoz  encouraged  and 
confirmetl  these  suspicions. 

The  yielding  of  the  queen  led  to  a  fatal 
resolution  against  Columbus.  Francis  de 
Bobadilla  was  appointed  to  inquire  into  the 
conduct  of  the  admiral,  and  if  he  should  find 
the  charges  proved,  to  supersede  him,  and 
assume  the  government  of  St.  Domingo.  As 
it  was  thus  the  interest  of  the  judge  to  find 
Columbus  guihy,  so  it  was  impossible  for  him 
to  escape  «_ondemnation.  Totally  disregard- 
ing all  he  had  done  and  was  doing:,  Bobadilla 
determined,  as  soon  as  he  landed,  to  treat 
him  as  a  criminal.  He  took  possession  of 
the  admiral's  house  during  his  absence,  and 
seized  his  effects  as  if  his  guilt  were  fully 
proved.  He  rendered  himself  master  of  the 
fort,  and  of  the  king's  stores,  by  violence ; 
he  required  all  persons  to  acknowledge  him 
as  chief  governor,  and  set  at  liberty  all  who 
W'ere  confined  as  prisoners.  He  also  sum- 
moned Columbus  before  him  to  answer  for 
his  conduct,  transmitting  him,  at  the  same 
time,  a  copy  of  the  royal  mandate  by  which 


COLUMBUS  A  PRISONER.  153 

he  was  enjoined  to  yield  him  implicit  obedi- 
ence. 

Columbus  though  deeply  affected  by  such 
treatment  from  his  sovereigns,  submitted  to 
their  will  with  a  respectful  silence,  and  re- 
paired directly  lo  the  court  of  his  partial  and 
violent  judge.  Bobadilla,  without  admitting 
him  into  his  presence,  ordered  him  instantly 
to  be  arrested,  laden  with  chains,  and  hurried 
on  board  ship.  Conscious  of  his  own  in- 
tegrity, the  admiral  yielded  to  so  afflictive  a 
reverse  with  a  dignified  composure.  There 
was  no  sympathy  to  mitigate  his  suffering-s  ; 
for  Bobadilla  made  himself  so  popular  by  va- 
rious favors,  that  the  Spaniards,  whom  indi- 
gence or  crime  had  chiefly  impelled  to  aban- 
don their  country,  expressed  the  most  inde- 
cent satisfaction  at  the  imprisonment  and  dis- 
grace of  Columbus.  From  among  these  per- 
sons Bobadilla  collected  materials,  however 
inconsistent  and  improbable,  for  a  charge 
against  him,  and,  rejecting  no  source  of  in- 
formation however  infamous,  transmitted  the 
result  to  Spain. 

At  the  same  time,  he  ordered  Columbus 


154  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

with  his  two  brothers  to  be  carried  thither  in 
fetters,  and,  that  they  might  not  have  the 
smallest  comfort  from  intercourse,  confined 
them  in  different  ships.  One  idividual  is, 
however,  worthy  of  remembrance  for  the  sym- 
pathy which  he  displayed  for  the  admiral; 
this  was  Alonzo  de  Valejo,  the  captain  of  the 
vessel  in  which  he  was  confined.  As  soon 
^s  he  was  clear  of  the  island,  he  approached 
his  prisoner  with  great  respect,  and  offered 
to  release  him  from  the  fetters  with  which 
he  was  unjustly  loaded,  "  No,"  replied  Co- 
Jumbus,  "  I  wear  these  irons  in  consequence 
of  an  order  from  my  sovereigns.  They  shall 
find  ngie  as  obedient  to  this  as  their  other  in- 
junctions. By  their  command  I  have  been 
confined,  and  their  command  alone  shall  set 
ipe  at  liberty. 

Distressing,  indeed,  were  now  the  circum- 
stances of  Columbus.  He  was  greatly  in 
need  of  consolation.  Well  would  it  have 
been  for  him,  if  under  the  guidance  of  Divine 
truth,  he  had  been  led  to  God  as  a  Father, 
through  the  redemption  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  had  thus  been  enabled  to  say : — 


COLUMBUS  A  PRISONER.  155 


"  When  galh'rinp  clouds  around  I  view, 
And  days  are  dark,  and  friends  are  few, 
On  Him  I  lean,  wlin  not  in  vain, 
Experienced  every  human  pain  : 
He  sceft  my  griefs,  allays  my  fears, 
And  counts  and  treasures  up  my  tears. 

If  wounded  love  my  bosom  swell, 
Deceiv'd  by  those  I  prized  too  well. 
He  shall  his  pitying  aid  bestow, 
Who  felt  on  earlh  severer  woe  ; 
At  once  betrayed,  denied,  or  fled, 
By  those  who  shared  his  daily  bread. 

When  vexing  thoughts  within  me  rise, 
And  sore  dismayed  my  spirit  dies  ; 
Yet  he  who  once  vouchsaf'd  to  bear 
The  sick'ning  anguish  of  despair, 
Shall  sweetly  soothe,  shall  gently  dry 
The  sorrowing  heart,  the  sti earning  eye. 

And  oh  !  when  I  have  safely  past 
Through  every  conflict  but  the  last. 
Still,  still,  unchanging,  watch  beside 
My  painful  bed — for  thou  hast  died  ; 
Then  point  to  realms  of  cloudless  day, 
And  wipe  the  latest  tear  away." 


15« 


CHAPTER  Xm. 

THB  RECEVTION  Of  C0LUMBU3  AT  COrRT  —  ANOTHER  VOYAGE  — 

VARiocs  Calamities  —  his  return  to  spain  —  his   sickness, 

DEATH,  AND  BCRlAL  —  REFLECTIONS  — HIS  SON  BECOMES  VICEROY 

—  CABALS  AGAINST  HIM  —  DEATH  OF  THE  ADELaNTADO  —  DEATH 
OF  FERDINAND —  FORMER  STATE  OF  THE    NATIVES  OF  HISPaNIOLA 

—  CRUEL  OPPRESSION  —  DEATH  OF  DIEGO  —  THE  INQDISITION. 

The  voyage  to  Spain  was  extremely  short, 
and  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  began  to  reflect 
on  the  impression  that  would  be  made  on 
Europe  to  their  disadvantage  by  the  disgrace 
and  bondage  of  their  prisoner.  Ashamed  of 
their  conduct,  and  anxious  to  repair  the  in- 
jury they  had  done,  they  set  him  at  liberty,  in- 
\ited  him  to  court,  and  remitted  him  money 
to  appear  there  in  a  manner  suited  to  his 
rank.  On  entering  the  royal  presence,  he 
threw  himself  at  the  feet  of  his  sovereigns, 
remained  for  some  time  silent  from  the  vari- 
ous feelings  by  which  he  was  agitated,  and 


RECEPTION  AT  COURT.  157 

at  length  gave  the  most  satisfactory  account 
of  his  own  integrity,  and  evidence  no  less 
clear  of  the  malice  of  his  enemies.  Ferdin- 
and treated  him  with  decent  ci\ility,  and 
Isabella  with  tenderness  and  respect.  They 
both  expressed  their  sorrow  for  w^hat  had 
happened,  disavowed  their  knowledge  of  it, 
and  united  in  promising  him  future  favor  and 
protection.  In  order  to  free  themselves  from 
suspicion,  they  instantly  degraded  Bobadilla ; 
but  they  did  not  reinstate  Columbus  as  vice- 
roy of  the  countries  he  had  discovered.  An 
illiberal  jealousy  led  them  to  fear  trusting  a 
man  to  whom  they  were  so  highly  indebted. 
They  retained  him  at  court  under  various 
pretexts,  and  appointed  Nicholas  de  Ovando 
governor  of  St.  Domingo. 

Columbus  was  deeply  affected  by  this  new 
injury  which  came  from  those  who  seemed 
to  be  employed  in  relieving  his  sufferings. 
He  could  no  longer  conceal  the  feelings  of 
his  bosom.  Wherever  he  w^ent,  he  carried 
about  with  him  the  fetters  with  which  he 
had  been  loaded  ;  they  were  constantly  hung 


158  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

up  in  his  chamber,  and  he  ordered  that,  when 
he  died,  they  should  be  buried  in  his  grave. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  new  governor,  with 
a  powerful  reinforcement  to  the  colony,  Bo- 
badilla  resigned  his  charge,  and  was  required 
instantly  to  return  to  Spain  to  answer  for  his 
conduct.  Roldan  and  the  other  leaders  of 
the  mutineers  were  commanded  to  leave  the 
island  at  the  same  time.  A  proclamation 
was  issued,  declaring  the  natives  to  be  free 
subjects  of  Spain,  from  whom  no  service 
was  to  be  exacted  unwillingly,  or  without 
just  payment  for  their  labor.  Various  regu- 
lations were  also  made,  tending  to  suppress 
the  licentious  spirit  of  the  Spaniards,  which 
had  been  so  fatal  to  the  colony ;  and,  to  es- 
tablish a  reverence  for  law,  and  to  limit  the 
exorbitant  gain  which  private  persons  were 
supposed  to  make  by  working  mines,  it  was 
ordered  that  all  the  gold  should  be  brought 
to  a  public  smelting-house,  and  one-half  de- 
clared the  property  of  the  crown. 

While  these  measures  were  taken,  Co- 
lumbus was  appealing  to  the  court  of  Spain 
for  a  just  settlement  of  his  own  claims.     He 


LAST  VOYAGE  OF  COLUMBUS.      159 

demanded,  according  to  the  original  capitu- 
lation, to  be  reinstated  as  viceroy  over  the 
countries  he  had  discovered ;  but  Ferdinand 
considered  such  a  concession  extravagant 
and  impolitic,  and  was  afraid  of  entrusting  a 
subject  with  such  a  jurisdiction.  He  awak- 
ened in  Isabella  the  same  suspicions  ;  and 
thus,  after  attending  as  a  suitor  at  court  for 
two  years,  Columbus  found  that  his  appeals 
were  in  vain. 

Still  he  was  not  discouraged  from  pursuing 
the  great  object  which  first  excited  his  gen- 
ius, and  urged  him  to  attempt  discovery — a 
new  passage  to  the  East  Indies.  He  enter- 
tained an  idea  that  beyond  the  continent  of 
America  there  was  a  sea  extending  thither, 
and  he  hoped  to  find  some  strait  or  neck  of 
land  by  which  a  communication  might  be 
opened  with  it  and  the  part  of  the  ocean  al- 
ready known.  He  very  happily  conjectured 
that  this  strait  or  isthmus,  was  situated  near 
the  gulf  of  Darien ;  and,  as  if  he  were  young 
again,  he  offered  to  undertake  a  voyage  by 
which  the  grand  scheme  he  proposed  from 
the  beginning  to  accomplish  might  be  com- 


160  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

pleted.  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  were  dispos- 
ed to  regard  this  proposal  favorably,  not 
merely  from  feelings  they  indulged  in  refer- 
ence to  Columbus,  but  from  the  recent  suc- 
cesses of  the  Portuguese  in  the  east.  Fer- 
dinand was  even  roused  by  the  opening  pros- 
pect, and  warmly  approved  of  the  undertak- 
ing- ^ 

Prior  to  his  embarkation,  Columbus,  op- 
pressed with  growing  infirmities,  and  per- 
haps a  sense  of  the  dechne  of  popular  favor, 
discovered  unusual  depression.  He  even 
talked  of  resigning  the  task  to  his  brother. 
"  I  have  established,"  he  said,  "  all  that  I 
proposed — the  existence  of  land  beyond  the 
west.  I  have  opened  the  gate,  and  others 
may  enter  in  at  their  pleasure;  as  indeed 
they  do,  arrogating  to  themselves  the  title  of 
discoverers,  to  which  they  can  have  but  little 
claim,  following,  as  they  do,  in  my  track." 

Interesting  as  this  voyage  was,  Columbus 
could  only  procure  four  small  barks,  of  which, 
however,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  take  the 
command.  Accompanied  by  his  brother 
Bartholomew,  and  his  second  son  Ferdinand, 


SHIPWRECK  OF  BOE.IDILLA.  161 

he  sailed  from  Cadiz,  May  9,  1502,  and 
touched,  as  usual,  at  the  Canary  islands, 
from  whence  he  proposed  to  have  stood  out 
directly  for  the  continent.  But  his  largest 
vessel  was  so  unfit  for  service,  that  he  bore 
away  to  St.  Domingo,  in  hopes  of  exchang- 
ing her  for  some  ship  of  the  fleet  that  had 
carried  out  Ovando;  and,  on  arriving  there, 
found  eighteen  of  these  vessels  ready  laden, 
and  about  to  proceed  to  Spain.  Columbus 
acquainted  the  governor  with  his  circum- 
stances, and.  anticipating  the  approach  of  a 
violent  hurricane,  asked  that  he  might  ex- 
change his  vessel  for  another,  and  advised 
the  delay  of  the  departure  of  the  fleet  for  a 
few  days.  Ovando  refused  his  request,  de- 
spised his  counsel,  and  actually  denied  him 
admittance  into  a  country  of  which  he  had 
discovered  the  existence,  and  acquired  the 
possession. 

The  fleet  set  sail  for  Spain.  On  the  follow- 
ing night  the  hurricane  came  on  with  fearful 
violence.  Of  eighteen  ships  two  or  three  only 
escaped  ;  and  in  the  general  wreck  perished 
Bobadilla,  Roldan,  and  the  greater  part  of 


162  COLUMBUS  AND  fflS  TIMES. 

those  who  had  been  most  active  in  persecuting 
Columbus,  and  oppressing  the  Indians.  All 
the  wealth  they  had  acquired  by  injustice  and 
cruelty  was  swallowed  up,  illustrating  the 
saying  of  the  prophet :  "  As  the  partridge 
sitteth  on  eggs,  and  hatcheth  them  not,  so 
he  that  getteth  riches,  and  not  by  right,  shall 
leave  them  in  the  midst  of  his  days,  and  at 
his  end  shall  be  a  fool."     Jer.  xvii.,  11. 

The  precautions  taken  by  Columbus  were 
the  means  of  saving  his  little  squadron.  After 
a  tedious  and  dangerous  voyage,  he  discovered 
Guanaia,  an  island  not  far  from  the  coast  of 
Honduras.  Some  inhabitants  of  the  conti- 
nent, who  arrived  in  a  large  canoe,  appeared 
to  be  a  more  civilized  people  and  to  have  made 
greater  progress  in  the  knowledge  of  the  use- 
ful arts,  than  any  he  had  before  discovered. 
In  reply  to  the  inquiries  made  by  the  Spaniards 
witli  their  usual  eagerness,  for  the  places 
where  the  Indians  obtained  their  gold  which 
they  wore  for  ornament,  they  were  directed 
to  countries  situated  in  the  west,  in  which 
gold  was  said  to  be  abundant.  Instead  of 
steering  in  quest  of  regions  so  inviting,  which 


ATTEMPT  TO  COLONISE  VERAGUA.    163 

would  have  conducted  him  along  the  coast 
of  Yucatan  to  the  rich  empire  of  Mexico,  Co- 
lumbus bore  away  to  the  east,  towards  the 
gulf  of  Darien,  intent  on  his  favorite  scheme. 
He  thus  discovered  all  the  coast  of  the  conti- 
nent, from  Cape  Gracias  a  Dios,  to  a  harbor 
which  he  called,  from  its  beauty  and  security, 
Porto  Bello.  He  searched  in  vain  for  a  strait 
through  which  he  expected  to  make  his  way 
Into  an  unknown  sea :  and  though  he  ad- 
vanced into  the  country,  he  did  not  penetrate 
so  far  as  to  cross  the  narrow  isthmus  which 
separates  the  gulf  of  Mexico  from  the  great 
southern  ocean.  So  dehghted,  however,  was 
he  with  the  fertility  of  the  country,  and  its 
apparent  wealth,  that  he  resolved  to  leave  a 
small  colony  in  the  province  of  Veragua,  un- 
der the  command  of  his  brother  and  to  return 
to  Spain,  to  procure  all  that  was  necessary 
for  a  permanent  establishment. 

The  ungovernable  spirit  of  the  people  un- 
der his  command,  however,  deprived  Colum- 
bus of  the  honor  of  planting  the  first  colony 
on  the  continent  of  America.  Their  insolence 
and  rapacity  provoked  the  natives  to  take 
16 


164  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

arms ;  and  as  these  were  more  hardy  and 
warhke  than  the  islanders,  they  cut  off  some 
of  the  Spaniards,  and  obliged  the  rest  to 
abandon  the  station  as  untenable.  This  re- 
pulse (the  first  that  had  been  met  with  from 
the  American  nations)  was  followed  by  a 
succession  of  disasters  to  which  navig'ation  is 
exposed  Furious  hurricanes,  with  violent 
storms  of  thunder  and  lightning,  threatened 
the  leaky  vessels  with  destruction,  while  the 
discontented  crew,  destitue  of  provisions  and 
exhausted  with  fatigue,  were  unwilling  or 
unable  to  execute  the  commands  of  Colum- 
bus. One  of  his  ships  perished;  another 
was  necessarily  abandoned  as  unfit  for  service, 
and  with  two  that  remained  he  quitted  that 
part  of  the  continent,  which  he  named,  in 
his  anguish,  the  coast  of  Vexation,  and  bore 
away  for  St.  Domingo. 

In  this  voyage,  new  distress  awaited  Co- 
lumbus. A  violent  tempest  drove  him  back 
from  the  coast  of  Cuba ;  his  ships  fell  foul  of 
one  another,  and  were  so  much  shattered, 
that  with  the  utmost  difficulty  they  reached 
Jamaica ;  where  he  was  obliged  to  run  then^ 


VIOLENT  TEMPEST.  165 

aground,  to  prevent  them  from  sinking.  The 
measure  of  calamity  seemetl  now  to  be  full. 
Cast  ashore  on  an  island,  at  a  considerable 
distance  from  the  only  settlement  of  the 
Spaniards  in  America,  his  ships  were  ruined 
beyond  the  possibility  of  being  repaired. 
His  active  mind  now  suggested  the  only  ex- 
pedient which  afforded  any  prospect  of  de- 
liverance. Availi*-g  himself  of  the  kindness 
of  the  natives,  who,  considering  the  Span- 
iards were  beings  of  a  superior  nature,  were 
eager  to  reheve  their  wants,  he  obtained  two 
canoes,  each  formed  of  the  trunk  of  a  tree, 
hollowed  with  fire.  In  these  wretched  boats, 
^lendez,  a  Spaniard,  and  Fieschi,  a  Genoese, 
and  two  gentlemen  particularly  attached  to 
Columbus,  bravely  offered  to  set  out  for  St. 
Domingo,  a  voyage  of  above  thirty  leagues. 
They  accomplished  their  design  in  ten  days, 
after  encountering  incredible  dangers,  and 
enduring  such  fatigues,  that  several  of  the 
Indians  who  accompanied  them  sunk  under 
their  sufferings,  and  died. 

Pitiable  as  was  their  condition,  the  atten- 
tion paid  to  them  by  the  governor  of  the 


166  COLUMBUS  AND  fflS  TIMES. 

colony  was  neither  such  as  their  courage  de- 
served nor  the  distress  of  the  persons  from 
"whom  they  came  required.  Jealous  of  Co- 
lumbus, Ovando  was  afraid  of  allowing  him 
to  set  foot  in  the  island  he  governed;  his 
heart  was  therefore  absolutely  insensible,  and 
Mendez  and  Fieschi  spent  eight  months  in 
soliciting  relief,  without  any  prospect  of  ob- 
taining it.  The  feehngs  of  Columbus  and 
his  companions  during  this  interval  were  ex- 
ceedingly various.  At  first,  the  hope  of 
speedy  deliverance  cheered  even  the  despond- 
ing ;  after  some  tnne,  the  more  timorous  be- 
gan to  expect  that  the  effort  had  failed  ;  at 
length,  the  last  hope  of  the  most  sanguine 
was  quenched;  and  despair,  heightened  by 
disappointment,  settled  in  every  breast. 

The  seamen,  now  transported  with  rage, 
rose  in  open  mutiny,  threatened  the  life  of 
Columbus,  as  the  author  of  all  their  calami- 
ties, seized  ten  canoes  which  he  had  purchas- 
ed from  the  Indians,  and,  despising  alike  re- 
monstrance and  entreaty,  made  off  with  them 
to  a  distant  part  of  the  island.  Other  evils 
arose  from  the  natives;   for  as  their  industry 


MUTINY  OF  THE  SEAMEN.  167 

was  not  greater  than  that  of  their  neighbors 
in  St.  Domingo,  like  them,  they  found  the 
burden  of  supporting  so  many  strangers  in- 
tolerable. Provisions  were  brought  in  with 
reluctance,  threats  were  held  out  of  their  be- 
ing withdrawn  altogether ;  a  resolution  which 
must  have  been  fatal  to  the  Spaniards.  Such 
a  combination  of  difficulties  was  truly  formi- 
dable. 

To  relieve  himself  from  difficulty,  Colum- 
bus, as  he  had  often  done  before,  resorted  to 
artifice,  availing  himself  of  his  skill  in  as- 
tronomy, by  w^hich  he  knew  there  would 
shortly  be  a  total  eclipse  of  the  moon.  On 
the  day  before  it  was  to  happen,  he  assem- 
bled all  the  principal  persons  in  the  district, 
and,  after  reproaching  them  for  their  fickle- 
ness in  withdrawine;  their  affection  and  as- 
sistance  from  men  whom  they  lately  revered, 
made  a  powerful  appeal  to  their  fears.  He 
told  them  that  the  Spaniards  were  the  ser- 
vants of  the  great  Spirit,  who  dwells  in 
heaven,  who  made  and  governs  the  world  ; 
that  he,  offended  at  their  refusal  to  support 
men  w^ho  were  the  objects  of  his  special  fa- 
16« 


168  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

vor,  was  prepared  to  punish  their  crimes  with 
exemplary  severity.  He  declared  that,  on 
that  very  night,  the  moon  should  withhold 
her  hght,  and  appear  of  a  bloody  hue,  as  an 
emblem  of  the  vengeance  they  were  about  to 
endure  ;  some  listening  with  careless  indiffer- 
ence, and  others  with  credulous  surprise. 
But  when  the  moon  began  gradually  to  be 
darkened,  and  at  length  appeared  of  a  red 
color,  all  were  struck  with  astonishment. 
They  ran  to  their  houses,  and  returned  instant- 
ly, laden  with  provisions,  to  Columbus, 
threw  them  at  his  feet,  conjuring  him  to  en- 
treat the  great  Spirit  to  avert  the  destruction 
with  which  they  were  threatened.  Colum- 
bus appeared  to  be  moved  by  their  entreaties, 
promising  to  comply  with  their  request ;  the 
moon,  of  course,  soon  recovered  its  splendor, 
and  from  that  day  the  Spaniards  were  plen- 
tifully supplied. 

The  mode  adopted  by  Columbus  in  this 
instance,  has  often  been  praised  for  its  inge- 
nuity-, but,  in  accordance  with  the  principles 
laid  down  in  a  former  page,  it  ought  to  be 
pronounced  highly  censurable,  as  entirely  at 


ERROR  OF  COLUMBUS.  169 

variance  with  the  truth  and  sincerity  that 
should  be  invariably  maintained.  It  is  also 
worthy  of  remark,  that  the  plea  of  necessity 
which  some  might  consider  should  be  urged 
in  behalf  of  this  device,  has  absolutely  not 
the  slightest  foundation.  Shnply  availing 
liimself  of  his  knowledge,  and  announcing 
what  would  be,  but  of  Avhich  to  an  ordinary 
mind  there  was  not  the  slightest  intimation, 
he  would  have  gained  his  object,  his  superi- 
ority would  have  been  established,  and  even 
savages  would  have  pronounced  him  the 
friend  of  the  great  Spirit.  Be  it  ours  never 
to  do  evil  that  good  may  come ;  and  in  every 
time  of  trial,  as  well  as  in  the  season  of  ease 
and  prosperity,  to  take  the  word  of  God  as 
our  only  guide. 

*'  O  child  of  sorrow,  be  it  thine  to  know 
That  Scripture  only  is  the  cure  of  woe  1 
That  field  of  promise,  how  it  flings  abroad 
Its  perfume  o'er  the  Christian's  thorny  road  ! 
The  soul,  reposing  in  assur'd  beliff. 
Feels  herself  happy  amidst  all  her  grief, 
Forgets  her  labor,  as  she  toils  along, 
W'eeps  tears  of  joy,  and  bursts  into  a  song." 

Havins:  re-embarked  with  his  shattered 
crew  in  a  vessel  freighted  at  his  own  ex- 
pense, Columbus  was  driven,  by  a  succession 


170  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

of  frightful  tempests,  across  the  ocean,  until, 
on  the  7th  of  November,  1504,  he  anchored 
in  the  little  port  of  St.  Lucar,  twelve  miles 
from  Seville.  In  this  quiet  haven  he  hoped 
to  find  repose  for  his  broken  constitution, 
and  a  balm  for  his  wounded  spirit,  and  to 
obtain  a  speedy  restitution  of  his  honors  and 
emoluments  from  the  hand  of  Isabella ;  but 
at  this  time  the  queen  was  on  her  death-bed, 
and  in  a  very  few  days  he  heard  she  was  no 
more. 

In  the  midst  of  the  deep  affliction  he  suf- 
fered on  the  loss  of  the  queen,  he  was  dis- 
abled by  the  gout,  to  which  he  had  long 
been  subject,  from  undertaking  a  journey  to 
Segovia,  where  the  couit  was.  He  lost  no 
time,  however,  in  laying  his  situation  before 
the  king,  through  his  son  Diego,  who  was 
attached  to  the  royal  household.  He  urged 
his  past  services,  the  original  terms  of  the 
capitulation,  their  infringement  in  almost 
every  paiticular,  and  his  own  necessitous 
condition ;  but  he  had  to  complain  of  great 
inattention.  At  length,  he  was  able  to  pre- 
sent himself  before  the  monarch.     Ferdinand 


DEATH  OF  COLUMBUS.  171 

received  him  Avith  the  outward  marks  of 
courtesy  and  regard,  and  assured  him  that 
*'  he  fully  estimated  his  important  services ; 
and  far  from  stinting  his  recompence  to  the 
precise  terms  of  the  capitulation,  intended  to 
confer  more  ample  favors  on  him  in  Castile." 

What  assistance  Columbus  received  at  this 
time  from  the  crown,  or  whether  he  received 
any,  does  not  appear.  He  continued  to  re- 
side with  the  court,  and  accompanied  it  in  its 
removal  to  Valladolid.  At  length  he  wrote 
to  a  friend  from  his  bed  of  sickness  :  "  It  ap- 
pears that  his  majesty  does  not  think  fit  to 
fulfil  that  which  he,  with  the  queen,  who  is 
now  in  glory,  promised  me  by  word  and  seal ; 
for  me  to  contend  to  the  contrary  would  be 
to  contend  with  the  wind.  I  have  done  all 
that  I  could  do ;  I  leave  the  rest  to  God, 
whom  I  have  ever  found  propitious  to  me  in 
my  necessities."  His  health  now  rapidly 
sunk,  but  his  mental  vigor  was  not  impaired 
by  the  ravages  of  disease  ;  and,  having  made 
his  will,  he  died,  with  little  apparent  suffer- 
ing. May  20,  1506. 

The  superstition  which  beclouded  the  mind 


172  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

of  Columbus  often  forces  itself  on  our  atten^ 
tion.  He  believed  his  great  discovery  was 
announced  in  the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  and 
the  book  of  .Revelation.  He  identified  the 
mines  of  Hispaniola  with  the  golden  quarries 
w^hich  supplied  Solomon  with  the  materials 
for  the  temple.  He  fancied  he  had  discover- 
ed the  site  of  the  garden  of  Eden  in  the  new- 
ly found  reigon  of  Paria.  But  his  greatest 
extravagance  was  his  project  of  a  crusade 
for  the  recovery  of  the  holy  sepulchre,  which 
he  cherished  from  the  first  hour  of  his  dis- 
covery, urged  almost  earnestly  on  the  sove- 
reigns, and  provided  for  in  his  will. 

His  remains,  first  deposited  in  the  convent 
of  St.  Francis,  at  Valladolid,  were,  six  years 
later,  removed  to  the  Carthusian  monastery 
of  Las  Cuevas,  at  Seville,  where  a  costly 
monument  was  raised  over  them  by  Ferdin- 
and. In  the  year  1436,  they  were  transport- 
ed to  the  island  of  St.  Domingo ;  and  on  the 
cession  of  that  island  to  the  French,  in  1795, 
were  again  removed  to  Cuba,  where  they 
rest  in  the  cathedral  church  of  its  capital. 

In  closing  this  sketch  of  a  very  remarkable 


TRUE  RICHES.  173 

person,  the  mind  is  impressed  by  the  vanity 
which  marks  the  objects  men  are  so  intent 
on  pursuing.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  Co- 
lumbus considered,  even  to  the  last,  that  he 
had  merely  opened  a  new  way  to  the  ancient 
resorts  of  successful  commerce,  and  had  dis- 
covered some  of  the  w^ild  regions  of  the  east. 
Of  the  real  character  and  probable  results  of 
his  discovery  of  America,  he  had  no  idea. 
The  honors  and  emoluments  which  were 
properly  his  due  he  did  not  possess. 

How  frequently  does  man  appear  walking 
in  a  vain  shew,  and  disquieting  himself  in 
vain  !  Disappointment  often  attends  his  fa- 
vorite plans  and  his  most  strenuous  efforts ; 
and  even  when  he  succeeds,  how  small  is 
the  product !  Miserable  at  best,  was  the  re- 
w^ard  for  the  toils  and  sufferings  of  Colum* 
bus. 

What  a  contrast  to  his  circumstances  ap- 
pears in  those  of  the  believer  in  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  Numbered  among 
"  the  wise,"  he  "  inherits  substance ;"  he 
has  "  gold  tried  in  the  fire  that  he  may  be 
rich,"  and  to  him  is  granted  the  honor  that 


174  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

cometh  from  God.  He  has  not  to  complain 
of  disappointed  expectations,  of  mortified  de- 
sires, of  the  violation  of  solemn  engagements, 
but  to  acknowledge  that  the  Sovereign  to 
whom  he  renders  a  happy  and  grateful  ser- 
vice, is  able  to  do  for  him  "  exceeding  abun- 
dantly above  all  that  he  can  ask  or  think." 
He  has  in  possession  a  peace  that  passeth  all 
understanding,  and  in  prospect,  "  a  far  more 
exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory." 

The  last  hour  comes,  but  for  this  he  is 
prepared  ;  for  the  evil  of  death  there  is  an- 
antidote,  for  its  conflict  a  victory, 

"  When  Bature  sinks  beneath  diseaBe^ 

And  every  earthly  hope  is  fled, 
What  then  can  give  the  sinner  ease, 

And  make  him  love  a  dying  bed  ? 
Jesus  !  Thy  smile,  bis  heart  can  cheer  ;■ 
He's  blest  e'en  then,  if  thoa  art  near. 

The  gospel-  does  salvation  brings 

And  Jesns  is  the  gospel  theme  ; 
In  death  redeemed  sinners  sing, 

And  triumph  in  the  Saviour's  name; 

*  O  death,  whcie  is  thy  sting  ?'  they  cry 

*  O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory? 

Then  let  me  die  the  death  of  those 

Whom  Jesus  washes  in  his  blood, 
Who  on  his  faithfulness  repose, 

And  know  that  he  indeed  is  God. 
Around  his  throne  they  all  shall  meet, 
And  cast  their  crowns  beneath  his  feet."" 


TRUE  RICHES.  175 

Reader,  have  you  never  employed  this 
language?  Adopt  it  now.  The  blessings 
of  a  present  and  eternal  salvation  are  not 
limited  to  distinguished  rank,  or  to  great  at- 
tainments in  the  science  of  this  world.  They 
are  connected  with  faith  in  Christ,  with  a 
reliance  on  his  atoning  sacrifice,  an  imita- 
tion of  his  example  under  the  guidance  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  zeal  for  the  honor  of 
his  name.  While  they  may  be  enjoyed  by 
the  wearers  of  coronets,  they  may  be — they 
are,  the  portion  of  many  in  humble  life,  and 
all  are  invited,  in  the  proclamation  of  the 
gospel,  to  be  "  rich  in  faith,"  and  "  kings 
and  priests  unto  God." 

"  Seek  then  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and 
his  righteousness,"  and  all  things  that  are 
desirable  '•  shall  be  added  unto  you." 

"  For  the  Lord  God  is  a  sun  and  shield  : 

Tbe  Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory  :  ^  '■ 

No  good  thing  will  he  withhold 

From  them  that  walk  uprightly. 

Psalm  Ixxxiv.  11. 

On  the  death  of  Columbus,  his  son  Diego 
succeeded  to  his  rights  as  viceroy  and  go- 
vernor of  the  New  World,  according  to  the 

17 


176  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

express  arrangements  that  were  made  be- 
tween the  sovereigns  and  his  father.  To  his 
talents,  integrity,  and  urbanity,  honorable 
testimony  is  borne  by  various  historians. 
"Without  delay,  he  appeared  as  the  successor 
of  Columbus,  and  urged  the  restitution  of 
the  offices  and  privileges  which  had  been 
suspended  during  the  latter  years  of  his  pa- 
rent's life.  He  had  been,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, a  page  in  the  royal  household,  and 
though  any  difficulties  which  might  have 
originated  in  ignorance  of,  or  a  partial  ac- 
quaintance with  him,  could  not  exist,  yet  for 
two  years  he  pressed  his  claims  in  vain. 

As  he  found,  at  length,  that  an  appeal  to 
generosity  and  equity  was  wholly  unsuccess- 
ful, he  solicited  permission  to  apply  to  the 
courts  of  law ;  a  request  too  reasonable  for 
even  Ferdinand  to  refuse.  His  suit,  com- 
menced in  1508,  was  continued  for  several 
years,  during  which  his  claims  were  strongly 
disputed,  on  various  grounds  ;  but  ultimately 
the  council  of  the  Indies  pronounced  an 
unanimous  decision  in  his  favor.  The  wily 
monarch,  however,  used  all  the  means  he 


DIEGO  MADE  VICEROY.  177 

could  employ  to  delay  the  cedinoj  of  those 
powers,  to  which  Diego  had  thus  been  pro- 
nounced fully  entitled. 

At  length  he  embarked  as  the  new  admi- 
ral, attended  by  his  wife,  Dona  Maria,  seve- 
ral of  his  relatives,  and  a  large  retinue.  He 
commenced  his  rule  at  St.  Domingo,  with  a 
splendor  which  hitherto  had  been  unknown 
in  the  colony.  The  king  had  not  granted 
Diego  the  dignity  of  viceroy,  but  the  title 
w^as  generally  given  him  by  courtesy,  and 
his  wife  was  universally  addressed  by  that  of 
vice-queen.  The  measures  adopted  by  Fer- 
dinand were,  at  the  same  time,  very  annoy- 
ing, and  seriously  infringed  the  capitulations 
repeatedly  confirmed  to  Columbus  and  his 
heirs.  Factions  also  rose,  the  enemies  of  the 
father  becoming  foes  of  his  son ;  and  thus, 
amidst  a  court  which  threw  a  degreee  of 
lustre  over  the  half  savage  island,  there  was 
not  only  much  to  be  done,  but  also  much  to 
be  endured. 

On  the  subjugation  and  settlement  of  the 
island  of  Cuba,  the  admiral  congratulated 
the  monarch   on   acquiring  the  largest  and 


178  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

most  beautiful  island  in  the  world  without 
the  loss  of  a  single  man.  This  intelligence, 
so  pleasing  to  the  king,  was,  however,  ac- 
companied by  various  complaints  against 
Diego.  For  him  Ferdinand  must  have  cared 
but  little ;  but,  knowing  that  the  accusations 
chiefly  originated  in  envy  and  jealousy,  he 
sent  out  Don  Bartholomew  Columbus,  with 
instructions  to  his  nephew,  the  admiral. 

Bartholomew,  though  dishonorably  detain- 
ed in  Spain  by  Ferdinand,  who  employed  in- 
ferior men  in  his  voyages  of  discovery,  still 
held  the  office  to  which  he  had  been  long 
before  appointed,  as  adelantado  of  the  Indies. 
Other  appointments,  were  now  given  him, 
and  among  them  he  had  the  superintendence 
of  the  mines  which  might  be  discovered  in 
Cuba. 

Dissatisfied,  and  that  justly,  with  the  treat- 
ment he  received,  Diego  requested  permission 
to  repair  to  court,  that  he  might  vindicate  his 
conduct.  On  obtaining  it,  he  left  the  ade- 
lantado with  the  vice-queen,  and  was  receiv- 
ed by  Ferdinand  with  great  honor,  to  which, 
indeed,  he  was  fairly  entitled.     It   appears 


DEATH  OF  BARTHOLOMEW.  179 

that  he  had  succeeded  in  all  his  enterprises, 
firmly  established  a  pearl  fishery  on  the  coast 
of  Cubao:ua,  and  brought  the  islands  of  Cuba 
and  Jamaica  under  culture  without  bloodshed, 
and  acted  with  rectitude  as  a  governor.  The 
accusations  against  him  were  to  be  traced  to 
his  efforts  to  lessen  the  oppression  of  the 
natives.  In  some  respects,  favor  was  shown 
him ;  but  in  others,  he  was  treated  with  in- 
justice :  so  that  Herrera,  the  historian,  says, 
"  Don  Diego  w^as  always  involved  in  litiga- 
tions with  the  fiscal ;  so  that  he  might  truly 
say  he  was  heir  to  the  troubles  of  his  father." 
While  he  was  thus  defending  himself  at 
home,  and  seeking  what  was  justly  his  due, 
his  uncle,  the  adelantado,  died,  there  is  rea- 
son to  think,  at  a  great  age.  '•  He  was  a 
man,"  says  Herrera,  "  of  not  less  worth  than 
his  brother,  the  admiral ;  and  who,  if  he  had 
been  employed,  would  have  given  great 
proofs  of  it ;  for  he  was  an  excellent  seaman, 
valiant,  and  of  a  noble  mind."  Ferdinand 
appears  to  have  detained  him  in  Spain,  not 
only  from  parismony,  but  jealousy.  He 
doubtless  fancied  the  family  too  powerful, 
n* 


180  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

and  that  the  full  employment  of  Bartholomew 
■would  further  increase  their  distinction  and 
influence.  Of  his  talents  and  character  the 
monarch  appears  to  have  had  a  high  opinion, 
and  he  expressed  great  concern  at  the  death 
of  the  adelantado. 

Soon  after  his  decease,  Ferdinand  was  also 
called  to  his  last  and  solemn  account.  Well 
would  it  be,  did  the  mightiest  and  the  mean- 
est anticipate  their  summons  at  the  tribunal 
of  God !  "  For  we  must  all  appear  before 
the  judgment-seat  of  Christ ;  that  every  one 
may  receive  the  things  done  in  his  body,  ac- 
cording to  that  he  hath  done,  w^hether  it  be 
good  or  bad."     2  Cor.  v.  10. 

Diego  obtained  from  the  emperor  Charles 
v.,  the  successor  of  Ferdinand,  a  recognition 
of  his  innocence  as  to  all  the  charges  against 
him.  This  was  accompanied  by  an  acknowl- 
edgment of  his  rights  to  exercise  the  office 
of  viceroy  and  governor  of  St.  Domingo, 
and  of  all  places  discovered  by  his  father. 
He  suffered,  however,  a  diminution  of  his 
authority;  for  a  supervisor  was  appointed, 
wnth  power  to  give  information  against  him. 


BEAUTY  OF  ST.  DOMINGO.  18 1 

In  these  circumstances,  he  returned  to  his 
vice-royalty ;  but  the  course  he  considered  it 
right  to  pursue,  raised  against  hira  a  host  of 
enemies  both  in  Spain  and  the  colonies. 

That  the  state  of  things  at  this  period  ex- 
isting in  St.  Domingo  may  be  understood,  it 
is  necessary  to  recall  some  particulars  already 
mentioned. 

It  has  been  stated,  that,  when  the  Euro- 
peans first  visited  the  islands  of  the  Avest, 
they  were  believed  by  the  simple  inhabitants 
to  have  descended  from  heaven,  and  it  has 
been  intimated  also,  that  the  scenes  witness- 
ed in  this  part  of  the  world  have  lamentably 
proved  the  contrary.  Nature  appeared,  in- 
deed, in  all  her  loveliness,  adorned  with 
every  form  of  beauty,  and  exhibiting  the 
richest  fertility  ;  but,  from  the  first  period  of 
the  discovery  of  these  islands  to  very  recent 
days,  they  were  degraded  by  the  most  shock- 
ing depravity  and  heart-sickening  misery. 
Almost  as  soon  as  they  were  known,  the  ori- 
ginal inhabitants  became  the  victims  of  the 
sordid  avarice  and  wanton  barbarity  of  their 
invaders ;  their  beautiful  isles  resounded  with 


1S2  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

the  cries  of  the  tortured   natives,   and  the 
earth  was  dyed  with  their  blood. 

Of  this  cruel  oppression,  St.  Domingo 
furnishes  an  affecting  instance.  Its  climate, 
like  that  of  all  tropical  countries,  is  hot  in 
the  plains  and  on  the  sea-coats,  but  the 
mountainous  districts  of  the  interior  are  de- 
lightfully cool  and  salubrious.  Among  these, 
from  which  the  name  Hayti  is  derived,  sig- 
nifying in  the  language  of  the  aborigines, 
^'  mountainous  land,"  and  which  form  by  far 
the  largest  portion  of  the  island,  an  almost 
endless  variety  of  hills  and  valleys,  woods 
and  rivers,  appear.  From  this  circumstance, 
as  well  as  the  great  productiveness  of  its  soil, 
St.  Domingo  has  been  called  the  Queen  of 
the  Antilles. 

And  yet  here  has  been  perpetrated  enor- 
mous evils.  The  thirst  of  gold,  which  ac- 
tuated the  Spanish  adventurers,  was  gratified, 
while  the  aborigines  continued  to  labor  in 
the  mines  for  their  unfeeling  conquerors. 
Most  tyrannical  was  such  treatment.  The 
earth  was  cursed  indeed  for  the  sin  of  man ; 
but  had  it  been  equally  affected  in  every  part, 


OPPRESSION  OF  THE  NATIVES.  183 

the  natives  of  the  Torrid  Zone  would  have 
felt  it  more  than  the  rest  of  their  species. 
Incessant  and  arduous  toil  would  then  have 
been  pre-eminently  theirs.  But  God  has 
mercifully  interposed  to  prevent  the  endu- 
rance of  so  grievous  a  yoke.  The  glowing 
atmosphere,  that  renders  long  continued  la- 
bor so  wearisome,  greatly  lessens  the  need 
of  it,  by  giving  to  the  soil,  with  little  cul- 
ture, much  more  fertility  than  laborious  till- 
age will  impart  in  temperate  climates.  Many 
nutritious  fruits,  grateful  to  the  taste,  and 
well  adapted  to  the  support  of  man,  either 
grow  spontaneously,  or,  when  once  planted, 
require  scarcely  any  further  toil,  but  yield  a 
constant  and  copious  supply  of  food.  To 
doom  man,  then,  to  constant  labor,  is  an  act 
of  gross  oppression,  in  defiance  of  the  pro- 
visions and  purposes  of  the  great  Lord  of  all. 
This  tyranny,  however,  was  chargeable  on 
the  Spaniards  ;  and  the  indolent  and  simple 
people,  who  were  their  victims,  unaccustom- 
ed to  the  laborious  exertions  of  industry,  and 
naturally  of  feeble  constitution,  soon  sunk 
beneath  their  cruel  toils.     An  early  naviga- 


184  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

tor,  named  Benzoni,  states,  that  of  two  mil- 
lions of  inhabitants  contained  in  the  island, 
when  discovered  by  Columbus  in  1492, 
scarcely  one  hundred  and  fifty  were  left  alive 
in  1545.  Most  revolting  is  such  a  statement, 
■which  there  is,  unhappily,  far  too  much  rea- 
son to  believe. 

And  yet  it  was  a  race  having  the  strongest 
claims  that  the  Spaniards  inhumanly  butch- 
ered by  thousands  and  myriads.  To  supply 
the  ravages  of  this  frightful  waste  of  life, 
the  idea  was  suggested  of  transporting  negro 
slaves  from  Africa,  who,  being  of  stronger 
habit  of  body  than  the  Indian  natives,  might 
sustain  the  toils  under  which  they  had  sunk. 

A  poet  asks,  as  he  contemplates  the  ne- 
gro— 

♦'  Is  he  not  man,  though  knowledge  never  shed 
Her  quickening  beams  on  his  neglected  head? 
Is  he  «ot  man,  though  sweet  religion's  voijCe, 
Ne'er  made  the  mourner  in  bis  God  rejoice? 
Is  he  not  man,  by  sin  and  suffering  tried? 
Is  he  not  man  for  whom  the  Saviour  died  ? 
Belie  the  negro's  power,  in  headlong  will, 
Christian,  thy  brother  thou  shalt  prove  him  still : 
Belie  his  virtues ;  since  his  wrongs  began, 
His  follies  and  his  crimes  have  stamp'd  him  Man." 


OPPRESSION  OF  THE  NATIVES.  185 

Having  described  the  negro  as  a  man,  the 
poet  adds,  most  truly  and  forcibly  : — 

"  The  Spaniard  found  him  such  :  the  island  race 

His  foot  had  spurn'd  from  earth's  insulted  face. 

Among  the  waifs  and  foundlings  of  mankind, 

Abroad  he  looked,  a  sturdier  stock  to  find  ; 

A  spring  of  life,  whose  fountain  should  supply 

His  channels  as  be  drank  the  river  dry : 

That  stock  he  found  on  Afric's  swarming'plains^ 

That  spring  he  opened  in  the  negro's  veins  ; 

A  spring  exhaustless  as  bis  avarice  drew,. 

A  stock  that  like  Prometheus'  vitals  gre\*' 

Beneath  the  eternal  beak  his  heart  that  lore, 

Beneath  the  insatiate  thirst  that  drained  his  gore. 

Thus,  childless  as  the  Charibeans  died, 

Afric's  strong  sons  the  ravening  waste  supplied  j 

Of  hardier  fibre  to  endure  the  yoke. 

And  self  renewed  beneath  the  severing  strotej 

As  grim  oppression  crush'd  them  to  the  tomb, 

Their  fruitful  parent's  miserable  womb 

Teem'd  with  fresh  myriads,  crowd'd  o'er  the  wayee, 

Heirs  to  their  toil,  their  sufferings,  and  their  graves." 

Soon  after  the  accession  of  laborers  thus 
gained,  the  mines  of  St.  Domingo  became 
of  less  importance  than  they  had  been,  those 
on  the  continent  yielding  a  richer  supply  of 
the  precious  metaL  This  circumstance,  to- 
gether with  the  difficulty  of  making  the  ne- 
groes efficient  miners,  induced  the  Spaniards 
to  divert  their  attention  to  the  culture  of  the 
soil.     No  relief,  however,   came   from   this 


1S6  COLOIEUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

change,  to  the  victims  of  their  awful  cupid- 

ity.  " 

♦'  Among  the  bowers  of  paradise,  that  graced 

Those  islands  of  the  world-dividing  waste, 

"Where  towering  cocoas  waved  their  graceful  locks, 

And  vines  luxuriant  clustered  round  the  rock  ; 

Where  orange  groves  perfumed  the  circling  air, 

With  verdure,  flowers  and  fruit,  for  ever  fair  ; 

Gay  myrtle-foliage  iracked  the  winding  rills, 

And  cedar  forests  slumbered  on  the  hills  ; 

— An  eastern  plant,  engrafted  on  the  soil, 

Was  tilled  for  ages  with  consumi  ng  toil : 

No  tree  of  knowledge  with  forbidden  fruit. 

Death  Jn  the  taste,  and  ruin  at  the  root ; 

Yet  in  its  growth  were  good  and  evil  found — 

It  blessed  the  planter,  but  cursed  the  ground  : 

While  with  vain  wealth  it  gorged  the  master's  hoard, 

And  spread  with  manna  his  luxurious  board, 

Its  culture  was  perdition  to  the  slave, 

It  sapp'd  his  life,  and  flourish'd  on  his  grave." 

It  may  easily  he  supposed  that  the  Span- 
iards, w^ho  had  been  used  to  regard  the  Indi- 
ans as  little,  if  at  all,  better  than  beasts  of 
burthen,  would  not  estimate  more  highly 
those  of  whom  they  w^ere  thus  possessed. 
Had  it  not  been,  indeed,  for  the  greater  hard- 
ihood of  the  negroes,  and  the  constant  sup- 
plies obtained  from  the  coast  of  Africa,  the 
wreck  among  them  would  have  been  as  ap- 
parent as  that  of  their  wretched  predecessors. 


REVOLT  OF  THE  NEGROES.       187 

Meanwhile  He  who  sitteth  in  the  heavens, 
was  saying,  "  Vengeance  is  mine ;  I  will  re- 
pay, saith  the  Lord."  One  means  of  punish- 
ment, to  a  certain  extent,  may  be  traced  to 
the  conduct  of  these  infatuated  tyrants.  The 
first  African  revolt  began  in  a  sugar  planta- 
tion of  the  admiral  Don  Diego,  where  about 
twenty  slaves,  joined  by  an  equal  number 
from  a  neighboring  plantation,  got  posses- 
sion of  arms,  rose  against  their  masters,  mas- 
sacred them,  and  then  sallied  forth  upon  the 
country.  It  appears  they  intended  to  pillage 
certain  plantations,  to  kill  the  Spaniards,  and 
to  increase  their  strength  by  freeing  their 
countrymen. 

No  sooner  did  Diego  hear  of  th's  revolt, 
than  he  pursued  the  rebels,  accompanied  by 
several  of  the  principal  inhabitants.  Stop- 
ping on  the  second  day,  for  rest  and  rein- 
forcements, on  the  banks  of  a  river,  one  of 
his  companions,  Melchor  de  Castro,  found 
that  the  negroes  had  ravaged  his  plantations, 
sacked  his  house,  killed  one  of  his  men,  and 
carried  off  his  Indian  slaves.  Without  delay, 
herefore,  the  insurgents  were  piu-sued,  rout- 


188  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

ed,   and  many  were  hanged  on  the  nearest 
trees,  to  deter  their  countrymen  from  revolt. 

Meanwhile,  the  enemies  of  Diego,  in  the 
colonies  and  in  Spain,  were  actively  and  suc- 
cessfully employed.  He  therefore  received  a 
severe  letter  from  the  council  of  the  Indies, 
accusing  him  of  various  abuses  and  excesses, 
and  requiring  him,  under  penalty  of  losing 
all  his  privileges  and  titles,  to  restore  things 
to  their  former  state.  All  persons  were,  at 
the  same  time,  commanded  to  conform  to  the 
royal  mandate,  and  to  see  it  fully  obeyed. 
He  was  also  summoned  peremptorily  to  court, 
to  give  information  as  to  various  matters  at 
issue. 

On  arriving  in  Spain,  he  fearlessly  present- 
ed himself  before  the  court,  and  not  only  as- 
serted, but  completely  established  his  inno- 
cence. He  nov/  hoped  to  obtain  a  just  and 
speedy  settlement  of  all  his  claims ;  but  as 
these  involved  a  share  in  the  profits  of  vast 
and  richly-productive  provinces,  his  path  was 
still  beset  by  delays  and  difficulties.  A  com- 
mission was  formed  to  examine  his  claims, 
but  its  movements  were  exceedingly  tardy. 


SICKNESS  AND  DEATH  OF  DIEGO.  189 

For  two  years  he  followed  the  court,  during 
its  migrations  from  Vittoria  to  Burgos,  Val- 
ladolid,  Madrid,  and  Toledo.  At  length,  the 
emperor  set  out  for  Seville.  The  admiral 
determined  to  follow  him,  though  his  consti- 
tution was  broken  by  the  heavy  trials  of  his 
life,  and  he  w^as  wasting  away  under  the  at- 
tack of  a  slow  fever.  His  friends  attempted 
to  dissuade  him  from  such  a  journey  in  the 
season  of  winter,  but  he  persisted  in  his 
course.  He  left  Toledo  in  a  litter,  and  ar- 
rived the  same  day  at  Montalvan,  about  six 
leagues  distant.  There  his  illness  greatly 
increased,  and  he  expired  the  day  following, 
being  little  more  than  fifty  years  of  age. 
"He  was  worn  out,"  says  Herrera,  "by  fol- 
lowing up  his  claims,  and  defending  himself 
from  the  calumnies  of  his  competitors,  who, 
with  many  stratagems  and  devices,  sought  to 
obscure  the  glory  of  the  father  and  the  virtue 
of  the  son." 

The  subsequent  history  of  St.  Domingo 
cannot  now  be  traced.  The  revolt  already 
described  was  the  precursor  of  another,  arising 
from  the  same  cause.     Oppression  became 


190  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

again  intoleralle ;  the  negroes  rebelled ;  nnd, 
though  in  the  end  the  insurrection  was  quelled, 
a  serious,  and,  in  some  respects,  irreparable 
loss  was  sustained  by  the  infant  colony.  In  ad- 
dition to  this,  a  horde  of  buccaneers,  w-retches 
utterly  lawless  and  desperate,  established 
themselves  on  the  small  island  of  Tortuga, 
and  afterwards  on  the  mainland.  This  band 
of  pirates  carried  on  a  most  destructive  war- 
fare with  the  Spaniards,  devasting  their 
plantations  and  houses,  and  almost  annihilat- 
ing their  commerce.  Nor  did  they  confine 
themselves  to  one  place :  on  the  contrary, 
these  outlaws  waged  with  success  a  preda- 
tory warfare  along  the  whole  circuit  of  the 
Spanish  main.  These  circumstances  led  to 
the  loss,  on  the  part  of  the  colonists,  of  a 
part  of  the  island,  and  ultimately  of  the 
whole. 

It  may  here  be  mentioned,  as  a  singular 
fact,  that  the  emancipation  of  the  Spanish 
colonies  in  America  has  stripped  the  heirs  of 
Columbus  of  all  their  proptrty,  insomuch 
thai  his  last  direct  descendant  and  represent- 
ative, the  Duke  of  Veraguas,  was  reduced 


SPANISH  INQUISITION.  191 

to  extreme  poverty.  He  has  since  obtained 
a  pension  of  24,000  dollars  on  the  revenues 
of  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico. 

There  remains  now  only  one  topic,  con- 
nected with  "  the  times"  of  Columbus,  to 
which  allusion  can  be  made.  The  influence 
of  the  church  of  Rome,  has  been  clearly  seen 
throughout  this  volume.  "  Evil  men  and 
seducers  wax  more  and  more,"  and  in  Spain 
itself  there  was  a  manifestation  of  its  gross- 
est superstition,  and  its  bitterest  cruelty. 
There  appeared — 

"The  Inquisition,  model  most  complete 

Of  perfect  wickedness,  where  deeds  were  done — 

Deeds  !  let  them  ne'er  be  named — and  sat  and  planned 

Deliberately,  and  with  most  musing  pains, 

How,  to  exlremest  thrill  of  agony, 

The  flesh,  and  blood,  and  souls  of  holy  men. 

Her  victims,  might  be  wrought :  and  when  she  saw 

New  tortures  of  her  laboring  fancy  born, 

She  leaped  for  joy,  and  made  great  haste  to  try 

Their  force,  well  pleased  to  hear  a  deeper  groan." 

The  tribunal,  thus  faithfully  described,  was 
erected  by  the  popes,  for  the  examination 
and  punishment  of  those  deemed  heretics. 
As  soon  as  it  was  founded,  orders  were  issued 
to  excite  the  princes  and  people  of  the  Ro- 
mish church  to  extirpate  such  persons.    As 


192  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

they  were  thus  enjoined  to  search  into  the 
number  and  quahty  of  all  who  could  be  so 
denominated,  ajid  to  transmit  a  faithful  ac- 
count of  them  to  Rome,  they  were  called  In- 
quisitors. That  nothing  might  be  wanting- 
to  render  this  court  formidable  and  trerticn- 
dous,  the  pontiffs  induced  the  European  prin- 
ces, not  only  to  enact  the  most  barbarous- 
laws  against  heretics,  and  to  commit  to  the- 
flames  those  who  were  pronounced  heretics; 
by  the  inquisitors,  but  also  to  maintain  these 
officers  in  their  service,  and  to  grant  them 
their  protection  in  the  most  solemn  manner. 

This  tribunal  had  nearly  fallen  into  disose 
in  the  kingdom  of  Aragon,  in  the  fifteeBtL 
century,  in  consequence  of  heresy  being  sup- 
posed to  be  extinguished  in  the  soutk  of 
France.  Towards  the  end  of  that  period^  it 
was  introduced  into  Spain,  under  a  new  and 
more  appalling  form,  and  there  became  con- 
sohdated  and  permanent,  and  more  absolute 
and  independent,  than  in  any  other  country 
of  Europe. 

In  1478,  a  bull,  despatched  from  Rome, 
authorized  Ferdinand  and  Isabella  to  appoint 


SPANISH  INQUISITION.  193 

two  or  three  bishops,  or  other  dignitaries  of 
the  church,  to  seek  and  discover  throughout 
the  dominions  of  the  Spanish  sovereigns,  all 
apostates,  heretics,  and  their  abettors,  with 
full  power  to  proceed  against  them.  Isabel- 
la, however,  suspended  the  execution  of  the 
bull  for  two  years,  desiring  at  the  same  time 
that  means  should  be  taken  to  warn  those  in 
peril  of  their  dangers.  At  length,  the  re- 
quired appointment  was  made.  The  inquisi- 
tors established  their  court  in  the  Dominican 
convent  of  St.  Paul,  at  Seville ;  but  the  num- 
ber of  prisoners  soon  became  so  great,  that  it 
was  removed  to  the  Castle  of  Triana,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  that  city.  In  the  course  of 
one  year,  298  persons  were  burnt  alive  in 
Seville  alone,  2,000  in  other  parts  of  Anda- 
lusia, and  17,000  were  subjected  to  various 
penalties.  Fearful  as  this  statement  is,  it  is 
only  a  specimen  of  deeds  of  cruelty  and 
blood  which  stain  the  records  of  an  institu- 
tion most  fearfully  exhibiting  the  depravity 
of  man. 

One  remarkable  characteristic  of  the  Span- 
ish inquisition  was,  its  independence  of  aU 


194  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

other  authorities.  The  inquisitor-general, 
appointed  for  life,  was  proposed  by  the  king, 
and  approved  by  the  pope.  He  appointed 
all  inferior  inquisitors,  as  well  as  visitors  and 
other  agents.  The  papal  bulls  gave  him  full 
and  discretionary  power  in  all  matters  of  re- 
puted heresy.  Thus  placed  as  a  distinct 
power  between  the  king  and  the  pope,  he 
became,  in  reality,  independent  of  both.  He 
could  refuse  to  submit  to  those  papal  decretals 
and  bulls  which  he  did  not  approve,  by  stating 
that  they  infringed  on  the  rights  of  the  sove- 
reign; and  he.  could  also  evade  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  monarch,  by  asserting  that  the 
papal  bulls  forbade  the  inquisitors  to  tamper 
W'ith  the  secular  power,  under  pain  of  ex- 
communication. 

A  strong  proof  of  this  assumed  irresponsi- 
bility appears  in  the  trial  of  Carranza,  arch- 
bishop of  Toledo,  who  had  attended  Charles 
V.  in  his  last  moments,  and  whom  neither 
the  briefs  of  the  pope,  nor  the  remonstrances 
of  the  prelates,  could  save  from  being  con- 
fined in  the  prisons  of  the  Spanish  Inquisition 
or  more  than  seven  years,  without  a  termin- 


CONCLUSION.  195 

ation  of  his  trial.  And  when,  at  last,  the 
pope  demanded  of  the  Spanish  inquisitor 
and  of  the  king,  that  the  archbishop  and  the 
papers  of  his  trial  should  be  sent  to  Rome, 
all  kinds  of  obstacles  were  thrown  in  the 
way  of  his  departure  and  of  his  final  acquittal. 

The  Inquisition  has  been  happily  abolished 
in  our  own  day ;  but  the  principles  which 
originated  and  long  sustained  it,  are  still  in 
operation.  Soon  may  corrupt  Christianity 
be  utterly  overthrown  by  the  power  of  Divine 
truth,  and  the  energy  of  the  Spirit  of  God  ! 

And,  as  we  revert  to  that  part  of  the  globe, 
to  which  our  attention  has  been  chiefly  di- 
rected in  this  volume,  we  may  add,  in  the 
words  of  the  poet : 

"  Nor  in  the  isles  and  Africa  alone 

Be  tlie  Redoemer's  cross  and  triumph  known  ; 

Father  of  mercies,  speed  the  promised  hour; 

Thy  kingdom  come  with  all  restoring  power; 

Peace,  virtue,  knowledge,  spread  from  pole  to  pole, 

As  round  the  world  the  ocean  waters  ndl  1 

Hope  waits  the  morning  of  cele>tial  light; 

Time  plumes  his  wings  for  everlasting  flight ; 

Unchanging  seasons  have  their  march  begun  ; 

IMilleniiial  years  are  hastening  to  the  sun  ; 

Seen  through  thick  clouds,  by  Faith's  transpiercing  eyes, 

The  new  creation  shines  in  purer  skies. 

All  hail ! — the  age  of  crime  and  suffering  ends  ; 


196  COLUMBUS  AND  HIS  TIMES. 

The  reign  of  righteousness  from  heaven  descends  ; 
Vengeance  for  ever  sheathes  the  afflicting  sword  ; 
Death  is  destroyed  and  paradise  restored  ; 
Man,  rising  frora  the  ruins  of  his  fall, 
Is  one  with  God,  and  God  is  all  in  all." 


THE  END. 


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